Good time to recall what exactly makes a republic – Asia Times

With concerns over oligarchy, mob rule, a breakdown of equal protection under the law, and the supremacy of citizens ‘ ability to decide the fate of the country, the US presidential election of 2024 was viewed as a crucial test for the country’s political system.

There is no justification for the United States to be immune from full falls throughout history. That fear frequently leads to a passing glib mention of the Greek democracy or the Roman Republic’s close.

But there’s a deeper story: States came into being much earlier in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean societies. And as we try to understand the issues and opportunities, we can use many more examples to guide our understanding.

A real state is a social system without king or focus political energy in any office, branch, or personal. With individual branches of government providing checks and balances, elected representatives represent people and influence decisions on their behalf. In the early days of nations, a far wider range of power structures emerged in contrast to the traditional republics.

Republikas gradually gained popularity as the international standard after World War I, and the majority of previous German colonies formally recognizing their independence in the following century. Nazi and communist countries, which centralized strength in people or ruling events, likewise reduced in quantity.

Despite their concentration of power, however, some fascist and socialist states claimed the title of republics, and while 149 countries out of 193 identify as republics now, much less retain democratic principles and mix them properly with politics. Considering the nations ‘ historical evolution, which ones are best suited to serve as the most resilient modern example?

In sparsely populated economic cultures, states require frequent meetings and assemblies, which makes it difficult to establish them, and empires typically concentrate power very greatly for self-rule. It was in smaller city-states, especially trade-focused people, where citizens may kind factions, exchange ideas, and control government decisions and rules for business.

Some of the earliest experiments with republican governance appeared in ancient Sumerian city-states ( 4500–2000 BC ), centered in modern-day Iraq. Kingships shared energy with royal families and groups, as well as with regular citizens, more as negative arbitrators than rulers. In Kish, residents may appoint a new monarch during catastrophes, while in Uruk, meetings of townsmen and elders had to accept big military decisions.

The Sumerian city-states fell to the Akkadian and Babylonian Empires by 1750 BC, but Phoenician city-states, emerging about 250 years afterward in what is now Lebanon, revived democratic principles. A trader class and citizen council were frequently tasked with a dynastic power in this country. Ancient records from the middle of the fourteenth century BC mention alliances and help requests from the “men of Arwad” and “elders of Irqata” as well as Egyptian records that show Ancient cities sending delegates to symbolize citizens more than monarchs.

By the 6th century BC, the Ancient city of Tyre had functioned for seven years without a king, governed rather under suffetes, or courts, elected for little words. In Chios, a “people’s council” allowed citizens to debate laws and hold officials accountable.

However, beginning in the 9th century BC and continuing over the next few centuries, Phoenician city-states were successively conquered or subjugated by the Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Macedonian Empires.

Like other civilizations, Phoenicians established colonies and trading posts. Carthage, founded by Tyre in 814 BC in modern Tunisia, grew into a powerful city-state with its own republican features.

The monarchy had been replaced by two elected suffetes from aristocratic families in the early 7th century BC. While younger merchants could gain influence and a popular assembly gave citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions on important decisions, they were governed alongside an aristocratic Senate. Additionally, religious and military leaders had a lot of power.

Republican ideals were n’t confined to Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean. In ancient texts, including the Maha Parinibbana Sutta, Indian republics called Gana-Sanghas were mentioned in 6th-century BC.

Some adopted republican styles of government, while others formed republican confederations, like Sumerian and Phoenician city-states, to make decisions collectively and protect against larger threats. The Indian republics were gradually absorbed by the Maurya Empire ( 321–185 BC ) and other entities.

Ancient Greek city-states also developed republican ideals. Although Parta was largely monarchical throughout the region, it still had a constitution and popular assembly as of 600 BC. Athens established a direct democracy in 507 BC, known as demokratia, meaning “people” and “rule”.

Greece’s slave-based economy allowed some citizens time to participate in politics, though this limited political fairness. In 431 BC, Attica, the region surrounding Athens, had an estimated population of 315, 000, of which only 172, 000 were citizens, and just 40, 000 male citizens could vote.

Still, Athens’s democratic system allowed these citizens to frequently debate, deliberate, and vote. The Council of Five Hundred, which was chosen annually by lot to draft laws and oversee administration, supervised them.

However, following Athens ‘ Golden Age, 4th century BC Greek critics like Plato and Aristotle and later historians like Polybius criticized the system for ineffectiveness and vulnerability to charismatic leaders, which sparked irrational policy decisions.

They emphasized balancing public, aristocracy, and monarchical roles to avoid the typical political cycle of chaos and order: first, a strong leader unites a restive society under a monarchy, which evolves into tyranny. It is overthrown and replaced by an aristocracy, which reduces into oligarchy. The cycle is resurrected by democracy after it eventually takes its place but turns into mob rule.

Invasions further weakened Greece’s republican and democratic systems, including in 338 BC, when Greece fell under the control of the Macedonian Empire, ending the independence of many city-states. Despite this, Greek republics created republican confederations to shield themselves from threats, including the nearby Roman Republic.

The term republic derives from the Roman res publica, meaning “public affairs”, emphasizing shared governance, civic participation, and checks and balances. Since its founding in 509 BC, the Roman Republic’s political structure had evolved considerably.

Two consuls were elected and held executive power, as opposed to an aristocratic senate, in Rome, where two tribunes were elected annually to represent the common citizens.

Romans were skeptical of Greek democracy, especially in Athens, due to its instability, infighting, and mob rule. Carthage’s republic sounded overly commercial and lacking in the civic fervor the Romans valued.

This loyalty was central to Rome’s military, staffed by a citizen army motivated by shared rewards. In contrast, Carthage’s strong, citizen-led navy protected trade routes, but its reliance on mercenaries for land campaigns made them costly and unpredictable.

The ability to rebel against Roman rule was diminished by these circumstances. By 146 BC, Rome defeated both Greece and Carthage, cementing its dominance and expanding political system. Polybius suggests that Rome’s success over Carthage was partially due to its powerful, aristocratic Senate, while Carthage’s policies were increasingly shaped by popular influence. He argued that the majority in Carthage favored the influence of the elites over Rome’s decisions.

Yet by this time, Rome was approaching its Late Republic phase. The scholar Harriet Flower’s research argues that the Roman Republic was n’t a single entity but a series of six republics, each with unique political characteristics. The idea of a single Roman Republic has also been criticized by some, dividing it into three distinct periods with changing power structures.

The Early Republic ( 509–367 BC ) was marked by tensions between patricians (aristocratic elites ) and plebeians ( common citizens ). Significant reforms were resulted from the fight for plebeian rights, including the establishment of tribunes, which were frequently elected by the Concilium Plebis to represent common interests.

During the Middle Republic ( 367–133 BC ), the Licinian-Sextian laws of 367 BC were passed to again alleviate tensions between patricians and plebeians, limiting patrician land ownership, providing debt relief for plebeians, and ensuring that at least one of the two consuls was a plebeian. However, political power increasingly concentrated in the Senate, undermining these reforms.

Rome’s military victories over rivals in the Late Republic, which occurred between 133 and 31 BC, coincided with the rise in the number of regular citizens serving in court, particularly jurors. Yet the republic was plagued by social conflict, corruption, and civil unrest.

Sulla’s march on Rome in 88 BC and his curtailing of the tribunes ‘ power exemplified rising instability. After, figures like Pompey in the’ 70s BC and Julius Caesar in 59 BC began consolidating power, further undermining republican values. In 27 BC, Augustus formally transitioned Rome into an empire, while maintaining the illusion of republican traditions.

By backing Augustus, supporting dictatorial powers, and reluctance to impose legal rules during times of crisis, Roman orator Cicero, a well-known proponent of the Republic, unintentionally contributed to its demise, highlighting the dangers of sacrificing republican ideals to manage unrest. For the next few centuries, republican ideals were largely sidelined.

Feudalism and monarchies spread throughout the former Yugoslavian Empire’s territories and peripheral areas after its collapse in 476 AD. This instability nonetheless allowed new republics to emerge, such as Venice, founded in 697 AD.

It maintained a 1, 100-year run as a republic through a political system that encouraged merchant participation and representation, shrewd diplomacy, social mobility, community cohesion, and an extensive trade network. In 1797, France finally conquered it.

During the Italian Renaissance ( 14th to 17th centuries ), urbanization, advancements in communication, and Enlightenment ideals enabled the rise of new city-states. Republican systems were established by merchant classes and other groups as alternatives to European monarchies elsewhere.

However, they were ultimately overthrown by empires, partly because they were unable to take advantage of the expanding Atlantic trade routes, which had diminished the importance of the Mediterranean.

Republics were not confined to Europe. When Chinese settlers recruited by local sultans for mining formed companies to protect their interests, the Kongsi Republics in modern-day Malaysia, particularly the Lanfang Republic, were established.

They eventually developed into autonomous regions with elected leaders and various levels of democratic control. The Lanfang Republic was eventually overthrown by Dutch colonial forces in 1884, with the remainder being absorbed by treaties or militarily overthrown by the end of the century.

The large-scale republican state resurrected following the founding of the United States. The US officially became a constitutional republic in 1787, attempting to end the monarchy while avoiding a tumultuous direct democracy.

The founding fathers established a mixed system, balancing the right to the vote and protecting the aristocracy with the right to demand the government’s consent ( though it was only for white male landowners ). Similar discussions in post-Revolutionary France after 1789 followed the ongoing debates over constitutional amendments and democracy expansion.

Today, many republics exist, but their authenticity and stability can be compromised. Being conquered imposes outside authority, while others pursue foreign expansion themselves, centralizing control and subjugating other territories.

Republics such as those in 16th century Netherlands, 17th century England, and 18th century US and France grew into empires or reverted to monarchies, adapting in ways whose lessons are still relevant today. These expansionist policies, often justified as essential for wealth and security, led to the abandonment of certain republican and democratic principles.

Republics can also shift toward authoritarianism, with modern policymakers perceiving more open democratic systems as unstable and vulnerable to manipulation.

In recent years, China and Russia have seen reductions in public accountability, civil liberties, meaningful political participation, and concentrations of power behind Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

In North Korea, power has been concentrated in the leader’s office since its founding, with leadership passed within the Kim family. Since the 1990s, there has been a dynasty under the Aliyev family in Azerbaijan, with concerns that Turkmenistan may follow.

Countries with strong presidential systems, common in the Americas, risk concentrating power in the executive branch. Fixed terms limit the removal of unpopular leaders, since, unlike in parliamentary democracies, no” confidence vote” mechanism exists for crisis situations. Partisan loyalty can also weaken checks and balances, and coups can be common.

For representation and collective decision-making, alliances and federations of Greek city-states, such as the Achaean and Lycian Leagues and the Native American Iroquois Confederacy, influenced concepts like the US Constitution and European Union ( EU).

The statement that the US is” a republic, not a democracy” reflects the original aim to keep political power within the states rather than the federal government. However, authority has increasingly centralized in Washington, DC, reducing state sovereignty, tensions mirrored in the EU between individual states and Brussels.

The influence of billionaires and corporations on the political process, government corruption, and the decline of social mobility are also possible causes of political apathy and extremism. Social media platforms offer a greater level of political participation, but they are becoming more vulnerable to disinformation from big tech and political actors, which opens up new ways for democracies to veer away from mob rule.

Countries still navigating the governance structures in their own contexts reflect the historical diversity of republics today. Kazakhstan, initially authoritarian, has seen some shift toward a more balanced system with a more powerful parliament following popular protests in 2022, though it remains less democratic.

Similarly, Singapore, often described as authoritarian, is still considered a republic due to some checks and balances, maintaining a blend of controlled leadership and political structure.

An informed and engaged citizenry, supported by a strong economic base, is essential for a successful republic. Citizens must feel the benefits of their system, and these must endure through fair elections, the rule of law, and due process. Wide-ranging trade networks and adaptable alliances are essential to successful foreign policy, as is a strong military and avoiding military overreach or falling into the trap of foreign conquest.

Historically, empire and monarchy have been more common than republics, shaping world order through hierarchical and anarchic systems. Republikas can govern more democratically by cooperating in a manner akin to that of ancient confederations, which is intended to support the sovereignty and equality of nations.

The Achaean League and Lycian League consisted of states with varying political systems cooperating within a loose, republican-style confederation. Countries can work together under common principles and gain a voice in the global system through modern blocs like the EU, ASEAN, and the African Union.

Direct democracy has meanwhile increased in domestic politics in the 2010s as more popular referendums on legal and constitutional issues have been conducted around the world, especially in Europe.

Direct democracy is becoming more evident at regional and local levels, even though larger republics like the US, Germany, and India still largely avoid national-level votes on important issues. Due to the rushed nature of ballot initiatives in states like California and Arizona, which give little time for meaningful discussion, deliberation and integration still suffer.

These referendums have recently become more popular and offered a substitute for traditional political processes thanks to modern citizen assemblies, which are based on those that were founded thousands of years ago.

They have influenced major policy changes, such as climate policies in France to abortion laws in Ireland, with assemblies, typically convened by legislative bodies in partnership with nonprofits, designed to reflect demographics. While they have led to concrete policy shifts, some recommendations have not been adopted, with lawmakers citing the importance of expert-led decision-making.

With the US election behind us, reassessing republican ideals, both domestically and globally, is crucial. How the GOP implements policies will ease or amplify concerns as it potentially takes control of all three branches of government in a divided country.

The US’s ability to influence the world and implement its influence in accordance with democratic principles will determine the country’s future.

John P Ruehl is an Australian-American journalist living in Washington, DC, and a world affairs correspondent for the Independent Media Institute. He is a contributor to several foreign affairs publications, and his book, Budget Superpower: How Russia Challenges the West With an Economy Smaller Than Texas ‘, was published in December 2022.

Human Bridges provided the Independent Media Institute with permission to republish this article.

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Global ESG Monitor: Banks and insurance companies show progress in climate reporting

  • Banks and insurance companies received a score of just under 50 %, which is substantially above the national average.
  • Financial institutions are aware of climate issues, but they do not provide in-depth monitoring.

Global ESG Monitor: Banks and insurance companies show progress in climate reporting

According to the most recent assessment from the Global ESG Monitor ( GEM) 2024, banks and insurance companies are reporting on climate issues but still need improvement. The study analysed the non-financial reporting of 194 companies, including 10 large insurers and 10 banks, with a focus on European Sustainability Reporting Standards ( ESRS ).

The financial industry, comprising banks and insurance companies, achieved only under 50 % of possible positions in reporting value, somewhat surpassing the total sample average of 45 %. This functionality both points to progress and highlights possible improvements.

Michael Diegelmann, co-founder of GEM and co-CEO of cometis, an IR and ESG firm, said,” Banks and insurance companies you tap into additional future-proof investment and profit opportunities in the long term through the stress they generate. They may also continue to raise the caliber of their reporting. There is still a lot of possible these, according to the best methods of the sector’s pioneers.

Financial institutions exhibit proper consciousness of pressing climate issues, according to the evaluation. They excelled in a number of ways, including demonstrating their devotion to the Paris Climate Agreement, making range emissions public, and presenting transition plans. However, there were significant gaps in the climate change reportage regarding endurance and the economic effects.

In resilience reporting, both sectors scored just under 60 % of points, outperforming the overall sample average of 38 %. But, endurance analyses were simply made available by about half of the nine major organizations, according to the European Central Bank. Companies only received 15 % of the possible points for reporting on the financial effects of climate change, which is mainly small.

Ariane Hofstetter, co-founder of GEM and committee member of cometis, emphasized the importance of open reporting:” Climate change is now causing huge costs today. Transparent monitoring is so important, because it is about more than just documented duty, but about the green transition of the market”.

The study also assessed ESRS compliance, where banks and insurers scored below 50 %. In light of their position as significant partners and stakeholders for a number of companies, this suggests that more open communication is required.

The International ESG Monitor, an impartial consider tank, has analysed over 1, 300 information from more than 500 firms globally since its foundation in 2020. Rules and criteria from numerous international requirements and frameworks are incorporated into its approach.

Click below to get the statement.

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IN FOCUS: How banks and telcos try to deliver top-notch customer service

Although telephone amounts have decreased over the years, the majority of banks and telcos have stated that they still receive a lot of customer inquiries.

DBS said its 500-strong customer support agent workforce, which is based in Singapore and comprises mainly Singaporeans, manages over 250, 000 answers from consumers each month. More than 3 million answers are generated annually, according to this figure.

Singtel, which offers numerous programs for customers to reach them, including Whatsapp communications and its client line, reported that it handles more than three million customer queries annually. OCBC reported that it has received 1.4 million calls this time.

In addition, the volume of inquiries may rise during significant events, such as service problems, putting more stress on customer service staff.

” In a ( mobile network ) outage, you must understand that the volume and the traffic ( of calls or chats ) that comes to us is not five times or ten times, it’s probably 100 times more than normal”, said M1’s director of customer experience and retail Stamford Low.

We rely heavily on our machines to grow, so we can upgrade them with the status of the interruption. So if you called us because you were experiencing company difficulties, the voicebot would be able to inform you, he said.” Our specialists are aware of this and are working on it,” he said.

” So we can do that so that the customer does n’t have to wait for a while before speaking with an agent and then hearing the same thing anyway.”

OCBC said it schedule more officers to work during the busiest times of the month, when they are typically asked for more inquiries about bank accounts and credit card statements, while DBS said it has real-time tracking screens and early warning signals to help its groups quickly ramp up resourcing to maintain spikes in call volumes.

Companies CNA spoke to said they do not avoid calls because some clients complain that they ca n’t reach a customer service representative in these circumstances.

According to OCBC’s Mr. Indra,” We make our very best effort to clear as many calls as possible,” adding that staff members from other divisions may also be stationed to handle customer calls.

There could be delays as a result of a rise in calls, according to Singtel’s deputy chief executive officer Anna Yip, who is a customer service representative who some users complain they ca n’t reach during significant incidents.

” When incidents happen … it’s not just the ( customer service ) agents ‘ role, it’s actually a whole team that crosses many departments like networks, customer agents, marketing is also involved”, she said.

” It’s basically like a war room situation… because we do n’t want to give customers wrong information. We want them to … know that they’re being taken care of, but we also need to give them correct information whenever we can, because if we really do n’t know what’s going on, we ca n’t lie”.

” So that’s why the coordination is very, very tight, and it’s not just about the front-end messaging, but all the way to the back, those people who are fixing things and turning things around, giving us the update. It must remain a single team, please.

” We do n’t stop any calls or … say ‘ we do n’t take any calls because we have nothing new to tell people’.

” It could be that, in the very, very rare situation where we do have a call surge, then of course, there is a bit of delay for people to come through, but we never stop communication, and we certainly never stop people from contacting us at all.”

RISING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

Assoc Prof Cheah believes that as consumers become more digitally savvy, this could have contributed to higher expectations for customer service.

Studies conducted a few years ago indicated that consumers were still alright if they had to wait a while for their issue to be resolved, she said.

However, many people today are intolerant to even a quick refresh of the screen that takes longer than a minute or a call that is not resolved within ten minutes.

” It’s the digital age that we’re living in, where a lot of information is being provided very quickly, so … to a certain extent, we are being conditioned to expect a fast response”.

OCBC said it has implemented a number of internal procedures to shorten the average handling time for its customer service officers in order to keep up with rising expectations.

This includes allowing its customer service representatives to approve requests for loan waivers as soon as they are satisfied, as well as handling disputes involving credit card transactions.

Previously, they were not able to do this and had to raise such requests to another team to process.

The bank’s efforts appear to be working, with the bank now exceeding its 60-second call-return goal of 80 %.

In comparison, it picked up 40 to 50 per cent of calls within the target last year.

We obviously had a fair bit of catch up last year when I started this new position, but we’ve been using data to improve our ability to be more proactive, according to Dennis Lee, OCBC’s head of service channels and transformation.

” ( We ) want to be proactive, to ( be able to ) tell customers that the moment they face an issue, we ( already ) know and before they call us, we are able to educate them on how to self-help so that they can resolve an issue … without having to call us or wait on the phone”.

The bank is currently testing out push notifications to explain why payments made after a customer’s card is rejected, as well as free web call services for customers who have credit card issues while traveling abroad.

After realizing that inquiries about account balances and credit card issues accounted for the most calls, it developed this plan.

” What I’m trying to do is whenever they tap at a failed transaction straightaway, we will detect why their transactions were rejected … so we’re trying to proactively inform customers … and this is where they can go and self-help immediately”, said OCBC’s Mr Lee.

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IN FOCUS: What happens when you contact a bank or telco customer care centre?

Although telephone volumes have decreased over the years, the majority of banks and telcos have stated that they still receive a lot of customer inquiries.

DBS said its 500-strong customer support agent workforce, which is based in Singapore and comprises mainly Singaporeans, manages over 250, 000 answers from consumers each month. More than 3 million concerns are generated annually, according to this figure.

Singtel, which offers numerous programs for customers to reach them, including Whatsapp communications and its client line, reported that it handles more than three million customer queries annually. OCBC reported that it has received 1.4 million calls this time.

In addition, the volume of inquiries may rise during significant events, such as service problems, putting more stress on customer service staff.

” In a ( mobile network ) outage, you must understand that the volume and the traffic ( of calls or chats ) that comes to us is not five times or ten times, it’s probably 100 times more than normal”, said M1’s director of customer experience and retail Stamford Low.

We rely heavily on our machines to grow, so we can upgrade them with the status of the failure. So if you called us because you were experiencing company difficulties, the voicebot would be able to inform you, he said.” Our specialists are aware of this and are working on it,” he said.

” So we can do that so that the customer does n’t have to wait for a while before speaking with an agent and then hearing the same thing anyway.”

OCBC said it schedule more officers to work during the busiest times of the month, when they are typically asked for more inquiries about bank accounts and credit card statements, while DBS said it has real-time tracking screens and early warning signals to help its groups quickly ramp up resourcing to maintain spikes in call volumes.

Companies CNA spoke to said they do not avoid calls because some clients complain that they ca n’t reach a customer service representative in these circumstances.

According to OCBC’s Mr. Indra,” We make our very best effort to clear as many calls as possible,” adding that staff members from other divisions may also be stationed to handle customer calls.

There could be delays as a result of a rise in calls, according to Singtel’s deputy chief executive officer Anna Yip, who is a customer service representative who some users complain they ca n’t reach during significant incidents.

” When incidents happen … it’s not just the ( customer service ) agents ‘ role, it’s actually a whole team that crosses many departments like networks, customer agents, marketing is also involved”, she said.

” It’s basically like a war room situation… because we do n’t want to give customers wrong information. We want them to … know that they’re being taken care of, but we also need to give them correct information whenever we can, because if we really do n’t know what’s going on, we ca n’t lie”.

” So that’s why the coordination is very, very tight, and it’s not just about the front-end messaging, but all the way to the back, those people who are fixing things and turning things around, giving us the update. It must remain a single team, please.

” We do n’t stop any calls or … say ‘ we do n’t take any calls because we have nothing new to tell people’.

” It could be that, in the very, very rare situation where we do have a call surge, then of course, there is a bit of delay for people to come through, but we never stop communication, and we certainly never stop people from contacting us at all.”

RISING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

Assoc Prof Cheah believes that as consumers become more digitally savvy, this could have contributed to higher expectations for customer service.

Studies conducted a few years ago indicated that consumers were still alright if they had to wait a while for their issue to be resolved, she said.

However, many people today are intolerant to even a quick refresh of the screen that takes longer than a minute or a call that is not resolved within ten minutes.

” It’s the digital age that we’re living in, where a lot of information is being provided very quickly, so … to a certain extent, we are being conditioned to expect a fast response”.

OCBC said it has implemented a number of internal procedures to shorten the average handling time for its customer service officers in order to keep up with rising expectations.

This includes allowing its customer service representatives to approve requests for loan waivers as soon as they are satisfied, as well as handling disputes involving credit card transactions.

Previously, they were not able to do this and had to raise such requests to another team to process.

The bank’s efforts appear to be working, with the bank now exceeding its 60-second call-return goal of 80 %.

In comparison, it picked up 40 to 50 per cent of calls within the target last year.

We obviously had a fair bit of catch up last year when I started this new position, but we’ve been using data to improve our ability to be more proactive, according to Dennis Lee, OCBC’s head of service channels and transformation.

” ( We ) want to be proactive, to ( be able to ) tell customers that the moment they face an issue, we ( already ) know and before they call us, we are able to educate them on how to self-help so that they can resolve an issue … without having to call us or wait on the phone”.

The bank is currently testing out push notifications to explain why payments made after a customer’s card is rejected, as well as free web call services for customers who have credit card issues while traveling abroad.

After realizing that inquiries about account balances and credit card issues accounted for the most calls, it developed this plan.

” What I’m trying to do is whenever they tap at a failed transaction straightaway, we will detect why their transactions were rejected … so we’re trying to proactively inform customers … and this is where they can go and self-help immediately”, said OCBC’s Mr Lee.

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COP29: Singapore pledges US0m to accelerate capital flows into green projects

According to EDB, Southeast Asia is home to a number of potentially profitable projects ranging from forest restoration to blue-carbon treatment.

Developers may benefit from the further assistance in their feasibility studies, which include gathering data and engaging with stakeholders. The goal is to increase the supply of high-quality coal funds globally in change.

The president’s most recent effort to turn Singapore into a graphite trading center is the government’s.

The EDB said it would further enhance the program based on preliminary interest and developments.

Executive vice president of the legal board, Lim Wey-Len, stated that the offer will encourage the creation of more high-quality carbon credits to help achieve Singapore’s environment goals.

Carbon funds are one of the processes to meet net-zero ambitions, specifically for hard-to-abate industries such as manufacturing.

” We see a lot of interest from companies starting to set up shop in Singapore to get the funds around this place,” said Mr. Lim,” who are ] starting to see a lot of interest from coal project development corporations ( who are ) starting to do this.”

Now, there are around 120 carbon service organizations in Singapore. EDB hopes that the offer will entice more carbon job developers.

Mr. Lim added that the offer might encourage more local jobs in the growing green business.

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Rubio brings China Realism to the State Department – Asia Times

Marco Rubio will be the next Secretary of State in the following Trump presidency, according to press reports.

The senior senator from Florida offers as a vocal China hawk, like the whole of his Democratic gathering, but with a essential difference: In September, Rubio published a 60-page statement,” The World China Made“, with a complete and painstakingly researched study of China’s financial success.

Some observers have already speculated that Nixon’s 1972 China trip might be influenced by the hiring of a seasoned China hawk like Rubio.

According to this theory, Secretary of State Rubio could negotiate with China without making any claims that he would sell out, and Secretary of State Rubio could do the same. Without second-guessing the incoming president’s negotiating strategy with China, Rubio’s published thoughts about China speak for themselves.

Full disclosure: the report cites Asia Times and this writer in particular, including our groundbreaking analysis of China’s export success in the Global South. By creating supply chains for Vietnam, Mexico, India, and other nations for export to the United States, China evaded Trump and Biden tariffs by building factories in third countries.

A bright line divides realists from Utopians among Washington’s China hawks. According to neoconservatives like Dan Blumenthal, well-known figures like Gordon Chang and Peter Zeihan, and real believers like former US Secretary of State and CIA director Michael Pompeo, China is about to collapse, and the US should prepare to do so militarily and economically.

If the US had shut down ZTE, he claimed, he would have led a group of unemployed engineers to march on Beijing and toppled Xi Jinping. A senior official from the first Trump administration told this writer in 2018 that the then-president had made a mistake by agreeing to that deal.

Realists on the other side of the coin may despise China and accuse it of scheming, but they acknowledge that it has made significant progress in both domestic and international trade. Rubio dismisses the utopian vision in the report’s conclusion as the best-informed among the realists:

Commentary on China’s economy swings wildly between extremes. On the one hand, the Chinese economy is often portrayed as deeply troubled, perhaps even on the verge of collapse. Stories in this vein emphasize China’s very high debt burden, slowing growth, distressed real-estate sector, and aging population—all real problems. In an interview with Time magazine in June, President Joe Biden made the claim that China’s economy is “on the brink.” ‘ …

China’s export- and manufacturing-oriented development model may have been successful enough in the short term to push the country toward the cutting-edge of technology, but not enough to enable it to overcome its structural issues over the long term. Many in Washington favor this narrative because it brings back our Cold War victory.

Then, a revolutionary, dynamic, and capitalist United States triumphed over a repressive regime with a dysfunctional, gerontocratic political class and a failed communist economic system incapable of navigating the information age. Our country’s past success has led to a similar triumph, which is tempting to believe. We win, they lose. But an invincible belief in one’s own success is a recipe for complacency. And increasingly, this belief is at odds with the evidence in front of our faces.

Let’s say the United States ca n’t be complacent about Communist China if this report serves as a message. Think-tank scholars and economists may bank on China’s coming collapse. The wager is being flipped by Beijing. It believes that manufacturing, exports, and ‘ new quality productive forces’ are the keys to regime survival and indeed to the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”. It thinks that modern technology and production will help it maintain its communist system while achieving wealth.

It has succeeded so far in establishing an alternative development path. But suppose today is the high-water mark of China’s power. Even in such a promising world, the CCP will continue to be a real, existential threat to American workers and industry for years to come. Additionally, Communist China will continue to be a formidable adversary unlike anything the US has ever faced. The CCP’s project’s critics, who claim that it is doomed to fail, should bear the burden of proof at this point.

Some highlights from Rubio’s report include:

  • In terms of industrial robot installations, China is the world’s top installers, with more installed in 2022 than the rest of the world combined.
  • Given the size of China’s manufacturing workforce and wage levels in comparison to those of the United States, China’s robot density exceeded our own in 2021, a remarkable achievement.
  • China’s extensive 5G telecommunications network, which consists of more than 3 million 5G base stations, makes it a leader in smart manufacturing.
  • Chinese entrepreneurs are assisting China in overcoming its reliance on imported tools and robots. Despite record installations, China’s imports of industrial robots have declined the past two years. This is due to Chinese companies ‘ steadily expanding business, which are thought to have had a 35.5 % domestic market share. share in 2022, up from 17.5 % a decade ago. China’s position is even stronger in the incredibly fragmented machine-tool market, wherein Chinese manufacturers will account for nearly a third of global production in 2022.
  • Chinese businesses are establishing sophisticated factories that will enable them to enter foreign markets and halt criticism of export practices.

Rubio’s message is that the United States must make extraordinary efforts to stay ahead of China and that it should n’t believe that a pen-waving device can stop this technological behemoth.

It is not difficult to draw any conclusions about foreign policy based on this analysis.

Follow David P Goldman on X at @davidpgoldman

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Food safety: Operators who flout rules face bans of up to three years under proposed law

A new bill introduced in parliament on Tuesday ( Nov 12 ) will impose stiffer penalties on those who violate food safety regulations in Singapore.

The Food Safety and Security Bill, which was introduced by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment ( MSE), aims to strengthen and update Singapore’s current food-related laws to better protect public health, and address pressing issues arising from food safety. &nbsp,

Under the Bill, maximum penalties will be raised to deter against non-compliance, and will be tiered based on severity and culpability of offences, the Singapore Food Agency ( SFA ) said in a media factsheet. &nbsp,

Higher penalties may qualify for repeat offenders and companies, offences that involve illegal food that causes condition, damage and bodily injuries, and offences that are committed deliberately.

Repetitioners who violate the law may face a maximum fine of S$ 50, 000 ( US$ 37, 600 ) and/or a two-year prison term, according to the proposed legislation, while corporate entities could be fined up to S$ 100, 000. &nbsp,

For up to&nbsp, three times, those whose licenses have been suspended as a result of fraud or repeated violations of food safety regulations will be prohibited from obtaining new licenses of the same kind. &nbsp,

According to SFA, individuals who have been denied their licenses are prohibited from holding senior positions like CEO or director of the same type of food company. &nbsp,

This forbids inadequate and inadequate individuals from running food businesses that could threaten public health or the health of people.

For “egregious owners” whose permission had been revoked, the Bill will also provide “discretionary rights” to ban their applications for a permission to perform various foods businesses at the same or different premises, SFA said. &nbsp,

Also, those who are considered “associates”, quite as families or friends, will have their marriage with the barred criminals taken into consideration when SFA evaluates their licence program, the company added. &nbsp,

Following customer illnesses brought on by consuming contaminated meals, many food companies made headlines this year. &nbsp,

After dozens of people complained of hepatitis symptoms, Peach Garden’s Thomson Plaza tree was forced to close for a month in April. &nbsp,

A large meal poisoning affair at&nbsp, ByteDance’s Singapore department in July saw more than 160 people reporting hepatitis symptoms. Operations were suspended for two of the two meals service providers, Pu Tien Services at Senoko South Road and Yun Hai Yao at Northpoint City.

More than 50 people in October had a comparable experience, according to Stamford Catering Services. &nbsp,

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Two Chinese news veterans sued over S0,000 ‘loan’ for failed Mandarin language business

SINGAPORE: The head of Mediacorp’s Chinese news team and a former news veteran at Singapore Press Holdings ( SPH) daily Lianhe Zaobao are being sued by a businessman, who wants a purported loan of S$ 990, 000 ( US$ 740, 500 ) to be returned to him.

According to Mr. Ren Xin Wu, Mr. Chua Chim Kang and Ms. Lee Kuan Fung were using Homing Holdings, a holding firm for two companies that offered education and were experts in Mandarin-language occurrences, as working money.

Mr. Ren asserts that the money was refunded in three years starting with the date of the grant, but Mr. Chua and Ms. Lee’s attorneys allege that there was n’t a contract.

It is also alleged that in 2020, when the company was in severe islands, Ms Lee paid S$ 40, 000 in Homing Holdings money to a third-party firm called Goldciti.

Mr. Chua introduced the business to her, and the amount allegedly served as consulting services.

The celebrations alleged that this deal was fake because Homing Holdings wanted to funnel money away from the company and avoid paying its creditors.

At the same time, brokers for Homing Holdings, which has failed, are suing Ms Lee for supposedly breaching her moral obligations as chairman of the business, with Goldciti as a second accused.

The High Court on Tuesday ( Nov 12 ) held a civil trial for the two suits, with Mr. Chua and Ms. Lee’s attorneys arguing that the case lacks sufficient evidence to support their claims.

History OF THE CASE

According to her LinkedIn profile, Ms. Lee is a media former who worked for SPH for 18 years before leaving in May 2017. Mr. Chua serves as Mediacorp’s head and chief editor of Chinese media and current politics, as well as the organization’s Youth Editorial Initiative.

Mediacorp is CNA’s family business, too. &nbsp,

He joined Mediacorp in 2018, but he originally held positions like managing director of the company’s Chinese Media Group.

Mr. Muthu Kumaran Muthu Santhana Krishnan of Kumaran Law and Mr. Salem Ibrahim, the pair’s attorney, are defending them.

According to the accused ‘ opening speech, Mr Ren, a Chinese member and French citizen, second met Mr Chua in 2015, when Mr Chua was an administrative with SPH.

At the time, Mr Chua had been in the internet business for about 15 times. Mr. Ren stated during a luncheon that he wanted to promote and raise the profile of an occasion sponsored by China Minsheng Investment Group.

Mr. Chua finally introduced Ms. Lee to Mr. Ren in order to help him achieve his objectives.

Ms. Lee worked for Lianhe Zaobao as well as the Central Integrated Newsroom as a “new development” editor in 2015, according to her people LinkedIn profile.

In its beginning speech, the defense claimed that Mr. Ren after had a successful project with SPH.

Eventually, the trio met to enjoy the trio’s success and exchange lunches, where Mr. Ren allegedly persuaded the two news veterans to form a partnership.

Homing Holdings was incorporated in June 2017. It served as the holding company for Lulele Learning Space and Luminaries Holdings, its operating business.

By acquiring nurseries and institutions, managing events and concerts, and promoting Mandarin, Luminaries was established.

Lulele Educational Services specialized in intellectual mentoring and tuition matching services.

” Chua was satisfied with his new work,” he said. However, he never took a full-time or an active part in Homing. On the other hand, Lee took the plunge”, said the military.

Mr. Ren purportedly insisted that Mr. Chua be given a 35 % stake in the business, despite the lawyers ‘ claims that he had no desire to be involved in daily operations and that he did not participate or own shares.

According to the defense, Ms. Lee later held those shares, which she also held as a chairman of the subsidiary companies.

According to the army, Mr Ren wanted Ms Lee to keep her work with SPH and get full-time, and this came to fruition.

Company was first good, but revenue dived when COVID-19 hit in 2020, the military said.

The attorneys claimed that Ren became angry and quickly requested that he return his$ 990,000 in Homing as a convertible product. &nbsp,

WHAT MR REN, HOMING HOLDINGS ARE SEEKING

Mr Ren and Homing Holdings, which is in forced liquidation, are represented by Mr Harry Zheng Shengyang and Ms Jasmin Kang from Kelvin Chia Partnership.

Ms. Kang claimed in her opening statements that her case involved the siphoning of funds from the original by Ms. Lee.

Homing Holdings is suing Homing Holdings for the$ 40,000 that was paid for companies that were never provided as a result of the alleged fake contract, as well as for Ms. Lee’s inability to discharge her professional duties as the company’s director.

Additionally, Ms. Lee’s involvement in Ms. Kang’s event led to the economic damage of Homing Holdings, which she also claimed was the result of.

Ms. Kang said she will testify in court that Ms. Lee and Goldciti exchanged “repeatedly deceptive” information about how she and her husband had handled their liquidations.

Ms. Kang claimed that her client had provided Homing Holdings with a working capital loan of S$ 990,000 as part of Mr. Ren’s following lawsuit.

The business had to repay the loan after three times, or parties may have negotiated an improvement, reached a separate contract on settlement, or converted the payment into ownership.

But, when the loan was due, Ms Kang alleged that Ms Lee and Mr Chua failed, refused or neglected to get the product returned, in violation of their partnership with Mr Ren.

Ms. Kang cited the defense’s declare that Mr. Ren had” all kinds of tactics to press them” into paying the loan, saying that Mr. Ren was entitled to demand and demand payment.

Nothing more than Mr. Ren enforcing his constitutional rights, according to Ms. Kang, was the defense’s claim of so-called harassment.

Ms. Lee and Mr. Chua’s attorneys cited a notice of demand from Mr. Zheng, Mr. Ren’s attorney, that was publicly displayed on the wall next to Ms. Lee’s residence in 2020.

Ms Lee filed a complaint with the Law Society of Singapore ( LawSoc ) over this, and Mr Zheng was sanctioned.

But Ms Kang said this debate was “nothing more than a ruse” and a red fish. As LawSoc had now determined, Mr. Ren’s attorney did not purposefully humiliate Ms. Lee or engage in unfair behavior on purpose.

Ren’s lawyer was given a warning for for unwisely posting the demand on Lee’s back door without having the email first put in an envelope, according to Ms. Kang.

She claimed she had demonstrate during the test that Ms. Lee and Mr. Chua had agreed that they were bound by the terms of the agreement” by their do.”

Ms. Kang alleged that they had agreed to have the company pay Mr. Ren’s product back but failed to do so.

Mr Chua had apparently agreed to repay the loan physically, but likewise failed to do so, said the lawyer.

These activities caused Mr Ren to suffer damage and deterioration, said Ms Kang.

She wants Ms Lee and Mr Chua to return the$ 990,000 to Mr Ren, as well as a claim that Ms Lee harmed Homing Holdings by breaking agreements with other businesses to the detriment of Homing Holdings.

In the option, she asked for problems to be assessed against Ms Lee, with interest and fees.

Mr. Salem, who is bringing the case against Ms. Lee and Mr. Chua, claimed that Mr. Ren’s claim will not be supported by any of the judge’s witness’s video evidence.

He claimed he would support the court by conducting cross-examination rather than making “allegations or shaved statements”.

He claimed that there was a” set-up” in order to convince Mr. Chua to agree to pay for the loan and refinance his home and that he” may not be able to move away from what he said in the letters or in the WhatsApp markets.”

Mr. Salem called this incident” an abuse of process” and claimed that some businesses lost money throughout COVID-19, causing some businesses to continue to suffer today.

The lawyer claimed that Mr. Ren may be suing for breach of fiduciary responsibility even if there was proof that Ms. Lee had breached her contract. The company in liquidation should file a complaint about it, according to the lawyer.

The test continues.

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Police round up crypto-mining power thieves

Surat Thani and Chachoengsao’s illegal activities used tens of millions of baht of light.

A police officer stands next to a suspect with crypto mining machines in Muang district of Surat Thani last weekend. (Police photo)
Last weekend, in the Muang city of Surat Thani, a police commander sat next to a suspect who had been allegedly mined using crypto miners equipment. ( Police photo )

In Chachoengsao and Surat Thani regions, authorities and light authorities seized cryptocurrency miners machines that were used to steal tens of millions of baht price of electricity. They also detained suspects.

Last weekend saw the largest assault in Surat Thani’s southwestern province. In the Muang area, officials searched two homes and seven commercial structures.

Two 30-year-old people, identified just as Nathapong and Arthit, were arrested and 111 crypto miners systems were seized. Even taken were seven browser computers, 10 devices and 10 modified energy feet.

According to Crime Suppression Division chief Pol Maj Gen Montri Theskhan on Tuesday, informants had warned officers to inspect the abandoned buildings because they had surveillance cameras installed.

He claimed that Mr. Nathapong held the two houses and rented the seven commercial properties. Between January last year and July this time, he engaged in monetary deals for more than 40 million baht.

Additionally, officials discovered that the sites ‘ electricity bills were exceedingly small despite having a lot of energy. They believed there had been a modification to the power feet.

Last Saturday and Sunday, officials discovered the crypto mining equipment during a building raid.

According to Pol Maj Gen Montri, Mr. Nathapong claimed that he started the illegal company in the summer of last year and that he had purchased used mine equipment for the purpose.

According to the commander, Mr. Arthit allegedly admitted to being hired to sustain the energy supply networks at the nine locations while allegedly confessing to being hired to improve power meters.

According to light officers, the crypto mining used about 10 million ringgit of power.

Officials on Tuesday raided a deserted warehouse in the Bang Nam Prieo city of Chachoengsao territory west of Bangkok. There, they discovered 106 crypto mining equipment and 66 additional uninstalled models. Around 17 million ringgit was thought to be the price of the items.

The inventory was consuming power despite being deserted, according to officers who conducted the attack. According to light authorities who found the site responsible for the power theft, it recently generated more than 10 million baht in electricity.

The raids come only one month after another Kanchanaburi function revealed that 10 locations were being targeted for crypto miners.

Because the billions of computations involved require a lot of computing power, crypto mine is a very power-intensive activity. According to US studies, dedicated mining companies with advanced setups would need about 155, 000 kilowatt hours (k Wh ) of electricity to mine just one bitcoin by 2023.

In Thailand, assuming a power price of 4 baht per k Wh, that works out to 620, 000 baht. According to estimates, Thailand’s typical monthly family power bill is 750 Baht.

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