Latest news with #MOVE
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
IEEE Puerto Rico MOVE Shows Technical Volunteers Can Benefit Humanity
In May I had an opportunity to visit Puerto Rico for an IEEE Governance Committee meeting and while I was there, I visited the IEEE volunteers who are behind the IEEE Puerto Rico MOVE. MOVE is an IEEE activity to provide technology and communication support to the Red Cross and other groups involved in disaster response activities around the world. IEEE reached out to Jen Castillo, then Puerto Rico IEEE Section chair, about how it could help Puerto Rico after the damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017. IEEE in general, the IEEE Foundation, the Humanitarian Activity Committee and various IEEE friends helped local volunteers in Puerto Rico by raising money and sending over 500 solar lamps to be distributed through impacted areas on the island. This experience led to discussions with IEEE USA and Mary Ellen & Garyson Randal, who founded IEEE's MOVE program with support from IEEE-USA in 2016, about doing something with MOVE in Puerto Rico. MOVE partnered with the American Red Cross to provide outfitted trucks for communications and other technical support to disaster areas. The American Red Cross had an existing Chapter in Puerto Rico and as a consequence, five years ago a number of local IEEE volunteers became ARC volunteers and MOVE PR began. Due to the support needed and the local conditions in Puerto Rico after major hurricanes, the volunteers decide to develop a more compact approach than the MOVE trucks used in the continental USA. The plan was to create modular kits that have similar capabilities to the trucks but in a smaller and portable configuration, which allow deploying with them anywhere in the island. The picture below shows some of these MOVE modules in the group's storage area in San Juan. The protective boxes are labeled with numbers, so volunteers can quickly grab all the boxes with the same numbers as a kit to take with them to support the ARC at the disaster sites. MOVE PR modular kits Tom Coughlin With the support of MOVE USA, the MOVE PR volunteers were able to create three kits with capabilities for providing power by using inverter battery banks that use solar panels to generate electricity, and equipment that allows people without access to power to charge small devices, such as mobile phones. To tackle the communication problems that comes after events like hurricanes, the MOVE USA Radio team Helped MOVE PR volunteers to become licensed ham radio operators and provided radio equipment for each of the modular kits including a portable antenna designed by MOVE USA volunteers. The three modular kits enable the creation of a reliable communication network that could cover the whole island when they are deployed at key locations around Puerto Rico. Another difference for MOVE PR from MOVE USA is that since the island is not very big, volunteers could switch off at a disaster site every few days, rather than the week-long or greater deployments for many disasters in the continental USA. During these past 5 years MOVE Puerto Rico has supported ARC in various Disaster Response Operations around the island by supporting the Disaster Technical Services team with everything related to technology support during those operations: equipment management, networking support and power generation using these kits. In addition, when not involved in disasters MOVE volunteers provide technical support to the local ARC. Another key part of MOVE is to spread the message of the importance of STEM education through outreach events that promote technical careers and their impact on society. Along with that message, MOVE shows how IEEE supports student development within these STEM related careers and how it can become their professional home. MOVE Puerto Rico chair, Francisco Carrero, said that, 'Living in Puerto Rico and having experienced various hurricanes and how climate change is affecting our island, I found purpose on volunteering in the MOVE Program and it has been a fantastic way to use my technical knowledge and skills learned from my engineering profession to help my community. I definitively agree with IEEE mission: 'To foster technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity.' I can say that the MOVE Program from IEEE gave me the satisfaction of paying forward to the world the blessings that I have received and the sense of gratification of making a difference in my community.' The picture below shows some of the MOVE PR team in the group's rented storage space in San Juan. IEEE MOVE disaster response volunteers show how technology can be a force for good and supporting IEEE's missions of advancing technology for humanity.
Rakyat Post
5 days ago
- Health
- Rakyat Post
MOVE President: More Effective Regulation, Banning Vape Is Not the Solution
Subscribe to our FREE It cannot be denied that the use of electronic cigarettes, also known as vape, is harmful to health. This is because substances like flavored liquids used in vapes contain many chemicals, and there are also irresponsible parties who mix them with illegal substances. What has happened has raised public concern over vaping activities. As a result, many states have banned the sale and use of vapes, including Perlis and Terengganu. Making vape illegal is not the solution Recently, the president of the Malaysian Vape Entity Organization (MOVE), Samsul Kamal Ariffin, stated that banning vape is not the best solution. Instead, it requires stricter regulatory methods to ensure it can be implemented to protect users and the public. According to him, many electronic cigarette users use the device as an alternative to quit the smoking habit. Image: Straight Arrow News 'International studies, including by Public Health England, show that vape is 95% safer than regular cigarettes. 'Nonetheless, I, as a representative of users, take the issue of vape misuse for intoxication very seriously. 'I want to emphasize that regulation in terms of manufacturing, sales, and usage must be implemented by the government as soon as possible,' he said, as quoted by Harian Metro. Individuals who mix e-liquid with THC is the real issue Image: Waste Today Magazine He further said that the real issue lies with a small group of irresponsible individuals who mix foreign substances such as THC into vape liquids. This can indirectly cause health problems for those who vape and may even lead to hospitalization. THC refers to the cannabis flower that contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, a chemical compound that can trigger symptoms of psychosis. The banning of vape will increase its presence in black markets, making it even more unsafe According to Samsul, banning vape will only lead to an increase in the black market for vape products, which are not tested for safety. This issue will also worsen public health problems. 'A total ban on vape will cause the black market for these products to grow, and untested and unsafe products will become easily accessible. This will further worsen public health conditions,' he explained. A total ban will allow black markets to grow. Image: World Vaper's Alliance At the same time, Samsul also warned that the actions of some states banning the electronic device could lead to the flow of vape products from non-banning states into those that enforce the ban. As a result, this indirectly defeats the purpose of the ban itself. 'In addition, smuggled cigarettes are also expected to rise because vape users will have no other alternatives,' he said. Urging the goverment not to hastily ban vape Samsul also urged the government and authorities not to rush into imposing a total ban on electronic cigarettes, but instead to focus efforts on tackling misuse, including enforcing strict regulations. 'With proper regulation, only approved vape products can be sold, protecting users, traders, and the government, which would receive tax revenue to support health subsidies,' he said. Around last November, the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, decreed that the use of vape should be completely banned. According to His Majesty, one of the root causes of addiction begins with cigarettes and vape. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
AirAsia adds another milestone with KK-Fukuoka flights
KOTA KINABALU: AirAsia Malaysia continues to expand routes to and from Sabah through Kota Kinabalu International Airport, with the latest to Fukuoka, Japan, via Taipei. This launch of their brand new fifth-freedom route from the airline's second-largest hub of Kota Kinabalu will start flying daily from Aug 15, further underscoring AirAsia's commitment to expand its Kota Kinabalu hub. AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra said this launch marked another significant milestone as the airline continues to explore new opportunities from the Kota Kinabalu hub. He added since reinstating the Kota Kinabalu-Taipei route three years ago, AirAsia has flown more than 130,000 passengers, and the numbers continue to grow. This launch aligns with their vision of connecting people across Asia, enhancing regional connectivity and boosting tourism opportunities, he added. 'With this new route, Sabahans now have more choices and flexibility when travelling to their preferred destinations, while supporting the state government's vision of positioning Sabah as a top tourism destination,' said Fareh. In conjunction with the launch, AirAsia is offering special promotional fares for flights from Kota Kinabalu to Fukuoka starting from RM609 all-in one way, whereas flights from Fukuoka to Kota Kinabalu are also available from ¥21,390 (about RM635) all-in one way. Customers can book their flights from today until June 8, 2025, for travelling between Aug 15, 2025 and March 29, 2026, available on the AirAsia MOVE app and Taipei is one of AirAsia's key virtual hubs within its extensive network. The new route provides more flexibility for Malaysians looking to explore more destinations in Japan, offering an alternative to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Fukuoka via Don Mueang (Thailand), operated by Thai AirAsia (flight code FD). From Aug 15, AirAsia will operate flights to 13 international destinations across Asia from the Kota Kinabalu hub, with a total of 79 flights weekly, further solidifying the hub's position as Malaysia's second-largest hub. According to AirAsia, all-in fares are quoted for one-way travel only, including passenger service charge, regulatory service charges, fuel surcharges, and other applicable fees with terms and conditions applied.
Axios
13-05-2025
- Axios
Philadelphia marks 40th anniversary of MOVE bombing
Forty years ago today, Philadelphia police dropped a bomb on a city rowhouse. Why it matters: The bombing of MOVE's headquarters was among the most tragic and polarizing events in Philly history — killing 11 members of the Black liberation group (including five children) and destroying 61 homes. Driving the news: The Community College of Philadelphia is hosting a daylong symposium on the 40th anniversary of the bombing today from 9am to 4pm inside the Winnet Building's Great Hall. Scholars, journalists, artists and cultural leaders will discuss the bombing and its aftermath. Michael Africa Jr., the legacy director of MOVE, is the keynote speaker. What else: At 5pm, the MOVE Activist Archive will hold a commemoration in front of the historical marker at Cobbs Creek Parkway and Osage Avenue. A narration of the events from that day will begin at 5:27pm — the time the bomb dropped. Context: On May 13, 1985, hundreds of officers laid siege to MOVE's rowhouse in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood after a violent confrontation between police and the group's members. Police fired more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition in under an hour and a half. Despite knowing about children inside, police dropped a bomb made of C-4 explosives on the house — with approval from city officials. Law enforcement allowed the resulting blaze to burn out of control for over an hour. No one was ever criminally charged.
CBS News
13-05-2025
- CBS News
MOVE bombing 40 years later: For many, Philadelphia hasn't done enough to rectify "unconscionable" act
Mike Africa is a popular guy, greeting Osage Avenue neighbors he's known his whole life. But away from the smiles and hugs, Africa is tense. "I don't like coming here," he said. "It's eerie, it gets my nerves all rattled. I don't like coming here." Forty years ago today, this city block was a smoldering wasteland. Africa's friends and family were here. Eleven of them died. "To be honest with you, and I don't know if it's possible, I don't know if I have processed it," Africa said. "I see the children's faces in other people. I know it can't be true. I hear their voices at night, I remember them. There's a big part of me that lives in disbelief." Kevin Tucker File photo To so many, May 13, 1985, is one of the darkest days in Philadelphia's history. "It's still eerie," Pete Kane said. "You know, when I see Osage Avenue, it all comes back." Kane was a local CBS News photographer. He took cover inside an evacuated row home and remained there until he was nearly out of videotape. "I went through the bullets, I went through the tear gas, I went through the fire," Kane said. "It's still a nightmare." The situation came to a head after years of controversy between MOVE, the Black liberation, back-to-nature group, and Cobbs Creek neighbors. On May 13, 1985, the city ordered MOVE out of their compound on Osage Avenue, an order that was ignored. The neighborhood was evacuated. The confrontation reached a boiling point. Police and MOVE members traded gunfire: Some 10,000 rounds were fired in 90 minutes. By that afternoon, with former Mayor Wilson Goode's authorization, the police commissioner ordered the bombing of the compound at 6221 Osage Avenue. The fire was then permitted to burn and spread. "I didn't expect to go through a firebombing, 61 homes burned to the ground, 11 dead, six of them kids," Kane said. Two city blocks of rowhouses are left in ruin following the worst fire in the city's history, May 15, 1985, in West Philadelphia. The blaze was caused accidentally when police attempted to remove a radical group called MOVE from their house by dropping a satchel bomb on the structure amid a gun battle. AP Photo "When everyone was trying to get out, they retreated to the basement," Africa said. "Tried to get out the back. They were being shot at from the front. This is where it happened." The disastrous events of that day, with 11 dead, several dozen homes leveled and hundreds now homeless, would lead to investigations, reviews, recommendations and lawsuits. The city was faulted for its described negligent handling of the matter. The MOVE Commission report described the decision to bomb the home as "unconscionable." "I regret that it happened on my watch," Goode said. Goode spoke with CBS News Philadelphia by phone last week. He said his administration used poor judgment in executing a tactical plan to remove MOVE members from 6221 Osage Avenue. Several Philadelphia police officers stroll through the West Philadelphia neighborhood destroyed by the bombing of the MOVE headquarters. The police and the radical African American organization MOVE faced off until the police bombed the group's said he was told to stay away from the scene because of information that there was a threat to his life. He instead managed the chaos from his office miles away at City Hall. "I think that the dropping of the device was bad, but I think that the worst part of it was letting the fire burn when they knew that there were children in the house," Goode said. Africa is working to memorialize those who died. He says a historical marker at 63rd Street and Osage Avenue, installed several years ago, doesn't appropriately capture the trauma, pain and grief. "There should be a historical marker that says the names and ages of the people that died here," he said. Claudia Lauer/AP "For all intents and purposes, the city has closed this chapter," said Linn Washington, a Temple University professor and award-winning journalist. Washington, like others, says the confrontation between MOVE and the city didn't happen overnight. Despite city council resolutions memorializing the day, he says the city has fumbled its response. It was a long-running feud that the MOVE Commission concluded the city had ignored. "When issues come up, we have to address them," Washington said. "They're not going to go away. We really need to deal with the systemic inequities. Their lives were totally turned upside down from that outrageous decision to let the fire burn." No one was ever criminally charged in connection with the events of May 13, 1985. Africa said he is alive today because his grandmother removed him from 6221 Osage Avenue shortly before the gun battle erupted with police. "There's a lot of people who still feel bitter about what happened, bitter against MOVE and bitter against the city, and it makes it hard for people to talk about," he said. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to fully accept what happened." Africa wants Philadelphia schools to include information in their curriculum about what happened on Osage Avenue in 1985. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia School District did not return a request for comment. A spokesperson for Democratic Mayor Cherelle Parker declined to comment.
