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juqtier · 7 months ago

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₊˚╰ 𖣠 MERCY ✧.* SPENCER REID

SUMMARY: During one of the most detrimental and devastating outbreaks this world has ever seen, the BAU had spent countless hours trying to bring in the man responsible, dead or alive. When they seek help from a minacious mercenary, and personal feelings somehow get involved, the situation quickly becomes much more complicated and difficult than anticipated.

GENERAL WARNING: ANGSTY and horror (somewhat), weapons, violence, descriptions of viruses and diseases, death, kissing of course, zombie like creatures, apocalypse, outbreak, descriptions of mutations

CHAPTER WARNING: descriptions of violence and viruses, reader is kinda an asshole. THIS CHAPTER MAY SEEM BORING BUT PLS the story will get interesting as it progresses! just gotta explain the basic concept!

A/N: the first chapter, yay! this is clearly inspired by resident evil (my fav game series). i thought it’d be interesting and unique to combine my two fav hyperfixations. i made the virus names and effects, and im clearly not a scientist so if they are scientifically inaccurate ignore it or im gonna cry. also, I wrote this with early spencer in mind (3-5) but if you imagine him from a different season lmk! ALSO sorry if any of the writing is bad, my english is terrible!

ACCOMPANYING SONG : SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT, NIRVANA

. . .

CHAPTER 1

January 15th, 2009

- 985 days since the outbreak

You had been caught. You had finally been caught.

Of course, you were well aware of the risks that came with being a mercenary, being caught was one of them. Yet, this didn’t diminish the anger you felt, sitting in a dingy, dark interrogation room, cuffed to a table.

It felt as if days passed by. Your eyelids felt heavy, you couldn’t manage to find a comfortable position to rest in. A metal folding chair would quickly prove to be a poor place to even attempt to relax in. Sitting in silence for so long, your ears could perfectly hear the buzzing of the flickering bulb above you, and it drove you crazy.

Just before you could drive yourself insane, focusing on each bothersome aspect of the interrogation room once more, the door opened.

Two men, two entirely different vibes.

One was an older, tall, stoic man wearing a suit practically devoid of color.

And while the man that stood beside him wasn’t wearing the most colorful outfit, his blue shirt and purple tie were a stark contrast to the other man’s outfit.

His long, wavy brown hair stood out as well. A part of you wanted to just stare at him, he was so pretty. But the other part of you, the majority of you, wanted to knock both officers unconscious and attempt to run away.

“I’m Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner, this is Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid. We’re with the Behavioral Analysis Unit.” The older man explained as both of them took a seat across from you.

The words practically went unnoticed by you, your mind had been more focused on the discomfort caused by the tight cuffs around your wrists. Your eyes met Hotchner's, and he could tell exactly what you were feeling.

Angry.

“Wanna take these cuffs off?” You request.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that until you cooperate with us and give us the information we need.”

“What information?”

Your eyes naturally rolled, gradually growing more annoyed by the second. Even with how frustrated you were, you weren’t going to cooperate easily. You were a mercenary, and the FBI was well aware you had only ever been motivated by payment.

It sounded selfish to everyone else. It was selfish, but to you, it was the only way to survive.

Hotch extracts papers and files from a manila folder, spreading them out onto the table in front of you. Your eyes watched his hands as he displayed each paper for you.

“For the past seven months, me and my team have been observing your every move.” Hotch’s eyes are glued to you. “Several times in these past months, you’ve been employed by Luca Ansaldo.”

The name has been drilled into your ears by this point.

Luca Ansaldo, a wealthy, ‘brillitant’ virologist and CEO of the virology company SynX. And, unbeknownst to you, the creator of the Lazarus Virus.

Ansaldo had employed you many times before, and with the pay being more than generous for a seemingly easy job, you didn’t think twice about accepting his offer.

But now, just hearing his name was enough to enrage you. Yet, you remain calm, returning Hotch’s eye contact. You barely even noticed Reid beside him, merely observing the interaction between you and Hotch.

“He paid me well for a simple job, is that what you wanted to hear?” You mutter.

You knew that wasn’t what they wanted to hear, but you also couldn’t tell what they wanted.

The past officers that had come in, aggressively interrogating you, never made it clear what exactly they wanted from you. All you could really understand was that they wanted his whereabouts, and you couldn’t tell them that. You didn’t even know.

“What jobs did he pay you for?” Hotch inquires.

“Easy jobs. I’ve done that plenty of times before for others, why does it matter now?”

Hotchner adjusts in his seat, probably finding it just as uncomfortable as you were in that moment.

“It’s important because we’re not currently after the other individuals you’ve worked for, we’re after Ansaldo.” He explains, sliding a document toward you.

Your eyes quickly scan the words on the paper, taking in all of its details.

“Under SynX, Ansaldo has managed to manufacture one of the deadliest viruses known to man, the Lazarus virus. You can see the results of his work walking in the streets.”

“Lazarus Virus?” You question. “Like, from the Bible?”

You clearly knew about the outbreak, every human did. You just had never been able to put a name to the virus responsible.

Reid took this question as an opportunity to share every bit of knowledge he had about the virus.

“Yes, actually. The name derives from Lazarus of Bethany, mentioned in the Gospel of John. The story claims Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, only four days after his death.” He hadn’t even noticed your eyes locked on him as he rambled. “We believe the virus attacks the brain stem, destroying the brain's basic functions. However, while mental capabilities deteriorate, physical capabilities are enhanced, explaining why they’re rather strong and violent. Those infected by the virus are called ‘Revenants’.”

You couldn’t help but be impressed at his ability to speak for so long without even losing his breath. He had spit out each word with urgency, as if he had been waiting to share this information with you.

“You seem to know a lot about the virus, why am I here?”

“We don’t know enough.” Hotch replies. “Without a sample of the virus, we won’t be able to produce an effective antidote. Ansaldo is currently the only man we know of that has any samples, and you know more about him than any of us. You may be our only chance at finding him before it’s too late.”

He leans forward, an even more intense stare accompanying his statement.

For a moment, for a brief moment, you allow yourself to absorb his words. It was as if a switch flipped in your brain, allowing yourself to prioritize others before yourself.

And again, this sounded so incredibly selfish. You could recognize that, of course. But you couldn’t blame yourself. And quite frankly, neither could Hotch or Reid.

The outbreak was and is devastating. Major cities were overrun and filled with chaos, with millions dead or missing. Trusting people wasn’t as common as it was years ago. Especially for you. You had been alone, fighting to survive, for years. It was all to protect yourself. You had the right to protect yourself, right?

“How much?” Hotch’s words bring your attention back to him, back to the situation you were in.

You weren’t sure if you misheard or misunderstood him, and it seemed as if Reid shared that same thought. His eyes widened as he snapped his head towards Hotch, questioning him with his eyes. Hotch, however, doesn’t even seem to notice Reid’s shock.

“What?” You stutter just a bit, clearly confused.

“How much do we need to pay you for your cooperation?” He repeats.

“You want to pay me to work for you?” You reply, skeptical about the offer.

Reid visibly shared the same sentiment. It was as if he couldn’t close his mouth. You didn't expect this, and neither did he.

“You are the closest connection we have to Ansaldo.” Hotch ignores the shocked faces of you and Reid, “If we have to pay you for your cooperation, then we are willing to do that.”

His expression shows that he’s serious. You consider the offer a bit longer before spitting out the first number you can think of.

“Two hundred thousand.”

You wait for any change in his expression, you wait for him to simply refuse. But he never does.

“We can arrange that.” He gives you a small nod before rising from his chair, Reid following. “I will assign an agent to keep an eye on you. You will be kept under supervision at all times as you work alongside my team. If you even attempt to betray our agreement, I promise you will not see a single dollar.”

“Wait.” You blurt out before they can even make their way to the door. “Can I choose what agent gets to follow me around?”

The way you word it makes it sound like a privilege, like it was an honor to have to watch over you. In reality, it most likely wasn’t.

The FBI considered you a dangerous, difficult mercenary. Asking you for help was a last resort, one they tried to avoid. But as they watched the virus spread across the country, unable to stop it, they knew they had no other choice.

“Do you have an agent in mind?” Hotch raises an eyebrow, confused by your question.

You nod in response, your eyes landing on Reid.

You couldn’t explain why, but his quiet, shy demeanor drew you to him. He wasn’t standoffish like the other officers and agents, he was actually quite the opposite of you.

Reid furrows his eyebrows. Neither he nor Hotch had expected the request; their looks expressed that. Hotch looks over at Reid, as if he were contemplating whether he could handle such a job. It was a silent conversation between the two; you were just an observer in that moment.

“Reid will watch over you as you work the case with us.” Hotch proclaims.

“Hotch, are you sure?” Reid whispers, just loud enough for you to hear him. He sounds nervous as he speaks, causing you to smirk.

“If she causes any problems for you, I will assign a different agent for the job.” Hotch responds, going for the door. His hand lands on the door knob, twisting it and pulling the door open with Reid behind him.

“Can you take these cuffs off me?”

Hotch and Reid turn their attention towards you once again before Reid digs in his pocket, pulling out a set of keys. Hotch watches as Reid walks over to you.

Your gaze remained fixed on Reid as he fumbled with the keys. You observed his shakey hands, finding all of it almost humorous.

When he finally managed to remove the cuffs, he let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding in.

You stand up from your seat, rubbing your wrists where the cuffs had previously been.

“Thank you so much.” You say with a teasing, playful tone.

His eyes never meet yours as he steps back, allowing you to stretch, glad to be free from the metal chair you were held down to.

“The team is gathering to discuss our next steps in the case. You’ll be joining us, since you’re working alongside us now.”

He explains the situation quickly as he leads you out of the room, still avoiding any eye contact.

“Exciting.” A smirk was still plastered on your face as you walked behind Reid.

While Reid was more nervous about the situation, and you clearly found it amusing, there was one thing the two of you had in common at the moment.

You had no idea what you were getting into.

. . .

pt. 2

a.n. : again sorry if the writing is bad, but i’m excited for this series to play out! it’s a concept i haven’t seen done before so i wanted to make something cool with it! i believe even if you aren’t a fan of resident evil, criminal minds x mercenary is still kinda cool. also, if you want to be on tag list im more than happy to add you!

#criminal minds #spencer reid #criminal minds imagine #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid x fem!reader #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x you #spencer reid angst #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid fanfiction #criminal minds x reader #juqtier writes… 🐈

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amathslutsguidetofandom · 10 months ago

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Forced Coordination - 1

PAIRINGS: Joel Miller x Reader

SUMMARY: The harshness of last winter has left hundreds of frozen Infecteds around the safe walls of Jackson. As a strategist from your job before the outbreak, you devised a smart plan. Maria assigns Joel to handle the cleanup work. However, you must work together as a pair to fulfil this task. How will it go with working with the rugged man the whole town has a crush on?

WARNINGS: Mentions of Infected, swearing, slight age gap (Joel is in his mid 40s and Reader is in her early-30s).

WORD COUNT: 1,760

ENJOY!

“You will be working with our strategist,” Maria says, crossing her arms as she leans against her desk. The sun glints through the blinds, reflecting off shiny surfaces and illuminating the semi-cramped space.

Spring encompasses Jackson with its warmth, seeking forgiveness from the community and offering support with its gentleness after the wreckage of a winter Mother Nature had put them through.

Joel raises a brow from his place on the couch, “strategist?” One of his hand’s rests on the buckle of his belt, while the other is thrown across the arm of the couch. Joel has no idea why his sister-in-law wanted to meet up with him, but he couldn’t deny her request, knowing that Tommy might hand him his ass on a silver plate.

Maria nods, “yes, a strategist.” She walks around her desk and slides open a drawer before retrieving a manila file. “Apparently, the runners that froze over the winter are beginning to thaw, and I need someone skilled to take them out,” she thumps the file on the coffee table in front of the Texan.

Joel reaches for the file and flips through it. He saw black and white pictures of the frozen infected stuck against trees and bushes. “And you want me to sort this out?” Joel looks at Maria with a confused expression, not fully understanding the premise of this meeting.

She nods again, “the number of runners this time around has increased drastically. I can’t just send in a group of men to kill them off; that’s too risky.” And Joel agrees with her; he has seen a lot of them during his patrols over the winter.

Joel nods, “and who-” His line gets interrupted by a knock at the door. “Enter,” Maria says as she goes to sit in her chair.

You open the door slightly and peek your head in, “Maria, you asked to see me?” Maria nods and wave for you to walk in further. You comply, walking in and closing the door behind you, then turned to see another person in the room with you: Joel Miller.

You have seen Joel Miller before, seen him walking around Jackson with some teenager or on a horse at times. You have heard all the women, and some men, of Jackson talk about him and his looks. You have made eye contact with him multiple times, but it had never strayed far from just a nod from either of you.

Maria introduces him to you and vice versa. You nod at him in acknowledgment before turning back to Maria. “I thought this matter would’ve been a little more… private,” you say to Maria. Your hearing caught Joel slightly scoffing at your statement.

“Remember that infected population schematic you created?” She asks, combing through another drawer.

“I, uh, yeah, I do. Why?” You ask, leaning against the door behind you. Maria pulls out a map and pins it to the corkboard next to the couch.

Maria points at a couple of different areas on the map, saying something along the lines of ‘infected’ and ‘area’. Then she looks back at Joel. The man in question snapped out of his reverie, “pardon?”

Maria rolls her eyes, “I said, she managed to figure out an approximate number of infected that are out there around the walls of Jackson. Not only that, but she also figured out their moving patterns too,” she said, demonstrating with your work, drawings, and calculations on the map.

Joel nods, not really getting it, “alright?”

The blonde shakes her head, “I’m indirectly saying that this map is going to be your map. You’re gonna be working alongside her for the entirety of this spring.”

You straighten up, “I’m sorry, what?” You shake your head, “but I’m not in Patrol though.”

Maria nodded in understanding, “I understand. I know that you’re in Sustainability, but your observation and statistical skills are needed here now more than ever.”

You shake your head slightly, “and what about Sustainability?” You care about your work at Sustainability; you help in plantation, but not really in farming. You’re good in statistics, and your work really help in increasing the yield of crops that were grown in Jackson every year. You do good and honest work.

“I can’t just up and leave my position. What happens if-,” Maria quiets you with a raise of her hand. “I understand,” she says sternly. You bite the inside of your cheek to prevent from biting back, inhaling deeply to simmer down your anger.

“You’ll still be in Sustainability; you just have a side task to do. I expect you to not treat this task like any other, but with high importance, understood?” she looks at you, leaning back in her chair.

“Understood,” you reply, crossing your arms and looking away. “Good,” she nods and picks up a clipboard, holding it out for you, “write down anything you both might need on this, and I’ll get it for you.”

You take ahold of the clipboard and thank her when she offered a pen. You write down all the stuff that you might need before ripping the paper and handing your piece to Maria. Then you hand both the board and pen to the rugged man.

“I expect the both of you to start as soon as possible because we want this problem to be solved before we start getting problems from those things,” Maria says, rubbing her temples to soothe her headache.

-----

The sun beats down on your back as you take notes on your clipboard. Merissa yaps beside you about how last night's mac and cheese should've been named "yuck and cheese."

“I mean, we literally make the cheese. And I have it every day for breakfast. What the fuck did they do that was so out of the ordinary to make it taste like diarrhoea?” she scoffs, leaning against her tall shovel.

You wince at the description, “You didn’t have to put that description so graphically.” She gives you a tight-lipped smile, her braid falling behind and back to her back when she looks over your shoulder to see who’s approaching you two.

A throat is cleared behind you, and you turn to see who it is. It’s Joel Miller. “Afternoon,” he nods his head slightly at the two of you. He looks at Merissa, then back at you, “A word?”

You bit your lip and then look back at Merissa, “I’ll see you at tonight’s supper.” Merissa wiggles her eyebrows at you and smirks before practically shooing you into Miller’s space.

“Sorry about her, she’s just-,” he interrupts you before you could even finish your sentence.

“Maria informed me she readied a space in the warehouse and sternly said we get right to it,” he says, not looking at you, but at the workers behind you.

You didn’t understand the deal with this man. Before you were even assigned to this task, you thought that the brother-in-law of the Head of this community would be chill. Turns out he’s not. Is it because he’s old? He seemed to be in his mid-forties. You were formally introduced to the man yesterday, why was he so mean?

You squint at him, thinking about what to say next. “So, uh, do we have to-,” he interrupts you, again.

“We’ll be heading there now,” he says, still avoiding eye contact, and then beginning to move past you.

-----

The basement was chillier than the main level; you slightly shuddered when you climbed down the stairs upon entering.

The office, however, reminded you of your corporate days. Being a former strategist was the highlight of your past life—the life where you didn’t look over your shoulder every five minutes. The life where you had a stable job, enough to get by and live a simple life.

But now, your skills were used to figure out the yield of crops and the population and movement of the Infected.

Joel walks in behind you and sees the blackboard with several pieces of chalk lined on its shelf. “Wonder what that’s for,” he whispers, his accent thickening.

You walk over to it and trace your fingers over the hard surface. “I put it on my list,” you turn to look back at him, “I work better when my work is done on a board.” He didn’t look at you but at the board.

“Right,” he says, thumping his bag on the only wooden table present in the middle of the room. The dingy fluorescent light illuminated most of the space; it was just the corners that succumbed to darkness.

You see the rolled-up schematic of your plan lay behind the rolling blackboard. “You got tape?” you ask the Texan while unrolling the schematic and seeing the mapped-out area around Jackson and all the arrows and circles you made with a red marker.

You hear the scraping of a chair and feel him behind you. “Lemme,” he takes the schematic from your hands while simultaneously ripping a piece of tape from the roll using the other.

He singlehandedly manages to paste the large papers on the wall behind the blackboard. You move the blackboard so it is at an angle; you looked around the room, and you practically stand in the imaginary triangle formed by the map, table, and blackboard.

“Right, let’s get started,” you pick up the white chalk and scratch it against the blackboard.

-----

“I think we can end here for tonight,” you step back and glance at the watch on your wrist, slightly in shock that you had managed to spend five whole hours here, just talking, writing, and planning, while Joel just sat there and watched.

“Did you get what I told you, or did you blank out in between?” you ask, turning to face him.

He sat leaned back against the wooden chair. He scoffs at your question, “I caught on.”

You squint your eyes at him, “I spoke for five hours straight, and you didn’t take any notes?” He puffs air through his nose; you would consider it a chuckle, but you weren’t really betting your money on it. “Don’t need to,” he replies before standing and picking up his backpack. “That it?” he asks, looking at you.

You seriously didn’t know what the deal with this guy was.

You nod, “for today, yeah. But I assu-.” He talks over you, again.

“See you tomorrow, good day,” he nods at you before leaving you alone in the office.

That’s when you realise.

He finally looked you in the eye.

🎀🎀🎀

Here's the first CHP lovlies!!!

Lemme know what y'all think

Till' then

Stay Coquette-y,

Anya 🫶🏽🕊️🎀

#joel miller fanfiction #tlou joel miller #joel miller #the last of us fanfiction #joel miller fic #joel miller x reader #tlou fanfiction #joel miller smut #joel miller x you #the last of us fic #joel miller x female reader #joel miller x y/n #joel miller angst #joel miller fluff

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southeastasianists · 6 months ago

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What may just look like an ordinary bridge that connects two neighborhoods bisected by a busy local road in the city of San Juan is the only remaining section of an aqueduct that once supplied water to the city of Manila from a nearby water reservoir during the Spanish colonial times.

In 1843, Manila experienced a cholera outbreak and the Spanish local government at that time finally realized the need for new sources of water. For many years, the residents of Manila sourced their water supply from nearby creeks, underground wells, and the Pasig River. But with the growing population, water pollution ensued and the outbreak of diseases.

The local government identified the San Mateo River (now Marikina River) as the best water source. A dam was constructed and a series of underground and above-ground water pipes were placed to bring the water to a newly constructed underground water tank in El Deposito in the town of San Juan. From there, an aqueduct was built to eventually distribute the water to Manila, then home to around 300,000 residents in 1860s. This water system was used until 1955. It was eventually abandoned and the aqueducts were dismantled to make way for rapid urbanization.

The structure has been filled with cement and covered with overgrown on its edges. There’s a series of concrete steps to get to the top of the arch where you can see the traffic from the road underneath.

Know Before You Go

The locals refer to the structure as the Arko (the arch). It is a short walk from the Pinaglabanan Shrine at the end of Sevilla Street.

#Southeast Asia #Philippines

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thelampisaflashlight · 2 years ago

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Narthex

[Best described as "A ghoul goes ghost hunting", Aether travels to the US to help solve a murder with a demonic twist. This part is primarily from Aether's POV, but it will likely swap between his and Alma's moving forward. Not suitable for younger audiences.] Below the cut.

"There is a church, a smaller branch of the ministry in the United States that sits on the fringe of our control." Papa had debriefed him the night before his flight, sliding a thick manila envelope -near bursting at the seams with documents- to him, "Recently, there... Ah, it's all described in the file. Please review it on the plane."

Aether had assured the other man that he'd do his best, smiling brightly, but, now, bleary eyed and tired, the ghoul wishes he'd saved some of his earlier enthusiasm and left the documents aside until this morning.

Yawning, Aether rubs his eyes and tries to go over the details of the case in his head to distract himself from the light headache setting in, sipping his coffee.

Saint Mary's Cathedral is a deconsecrated church; Although, the file explained, the altar stone was never broken, nor its sacred artefacts removed.

Construction on the building began in the mid 1800's, but the events of the Civil War halted progress on the cathedral for nearly a decade as the people of the surrounding township attempted to return to some sense of normalcy in the wake of the war.

It was not fully completed until 1885, almost two decades after the project was initially begun.

Aether stretches, glancing out the window at the passing cars, trying desperately not to fall asleep.

In 1918, the church was used to quarantine those afflicted with influenza, with over 100 individuals passing within its walls during the span of the outbreak.

Unsurprisingly, this is often cited as a main cause of the supposed haunting taking place inside the building... however.

"You will meet with the caretaker when you arrive, her name is Alma Amato." Papa had said, handing him yet another file to read through, "She believes the haunting to be demonic."

"Demonic, huh?"

Aether leans on his palm.

"And you're sending another demon to deal with it?"

"...I can see how that might seem counterintuitive."

He snorts and returns to aimlessly flipping through the file on his lap.

Alma Amato, Age 30, Caretaker and Administrative Officer of Saint Mary's Cathedral, one of three employees -now two- who work to maintain the property.

"Ms. Amato is a diligent worker, and has been in service to the church for eleven years now. In that time, she has never lodged a single complaint about the haunting at Saint Mary's, but, after the events of last month, she is, understandably, more than a little disturbed."

Aether looks at the newspaper clipping he'd pulled from the envelope earlier and frowns.

Two Dead, One Injured During Ghost Hunting Investigation.

As the car stops for a red light, Aether flips the page over to look at the photos attached to it with a paperclip.

Four faces stare back at him; Jason Vine, age 37, a ghost hunting show host, Maxwell Kurt, age 68, an administrative officer at Saint Mary's, Howard Walker, age 51, the church's lone security guard, and lastly...

Alma Amato.

Aether shivers, something about her gaze, so forward, so focused, it feels like she's watching him through the photograph.

Her eyes are a reddish brown, her brows thin -darkened with make-up from the looks of it- and her hair a pale blonde.

She seems a dour sort, but looks can be deceiving.

"We'll be arriving in fifteen minutes." the driver says, peering back at him in the rearview mirror.

"Ah, I see, thank you." Aether tucks the files back into his backpack and returns to looking out the window.

Saint Mary's is... less imposing than Aether imagined.

It's not a particularly large building, but it is a rather peculiar shade of green.

Huh.

"It's serpentine." a clear, sweet voice answers his unasked question.

Aether looks towards the large, red doors at the front of the church and sees a woman in a...

A...

It's more so what she's not wearing that causes Aether to inhale sharply.

Before him stands Alma Amato, dressed in a wide brimmed black sunhat and a low cut black dress with a short skirt that Aether has to actively NOT think of how little fabric is between the hem and the swell of her ass.

She gives a little, testy huff, and Aether realizes she must have asked a question.

"Apologies, I was... I'm a bit tired, long flight." He says, then holds out his hand, "I'm Aether, the ministry sent me to assist in the investigation. I presume you're Ms. Amato, the caretaker?"

"You're earlier than expected." Amato shakes his hand, "I'm surprised."

"I took the first available flight." Aether explains, "I hope that's alright."

"Perfectly alright. You will have to make your own bed though, I hadn't gotten around to visiting the Bishop's Palace yet, that's where you'll be staying." she gestures for him to follow, turning and entering the church, her heels clicking on the stone, removing her hat.

"The Bishop's Palace?" Aether questions, "That is...?"

"It's a fancy way of saying a house that a bishop used to live in from what I've gathered, but these days the building is primarily used for storage." Amato says, "When the church contacted us that they'd be sending someone, we made sure to clear it out and moved everything down to the cellar for the time being. I hope you don't mind the idea of residing on the property during your stay?"

Aether shakes his head, "No, no, that's fine. That's preferable to wasting my money on a hotel when I'm not sure how long I'll be here... speaking of which."

"I read in the report I was given that you also live on the property, I'm not... displacing you from your home am I?"

Amato shakes her head.

"Like I said, the Bishop's Palace is mostly for storage, I live in the caretaker's cottage passed the cemetery."

Aether pauses.

"I hadn't realized how much would be out here, I was really only debriefed about the church itself..." he admits, "How big is the property?"

"I believe it's roughly 7 acres, everything is relatively spaced out, but as it shakes out... The church itself sits on 1 acre of land, the cemetery takes up about 3 acres including the out buildings, then the Bishop's Palace and the cottage take up about an acre combined, and the remaining 2 acres accounts for the gardens and miscellaneous greenspaces across the property." Amato gestures towards a display case hanging from the wall, "We have a map of the general layout here for visitors."

Aether approaches the display case, taking out his phone to snap a picture for future reference.

"We haven't been giving tours since the... I'm sure you read what happened." Amato sighs, guiding him towards a side door, "I'll let you get settled before we get into all of that."

"Right."

The Bishop's Palace is less a palace and more a simple, Cape Cod style house, but compared to living in a hotel room for an indefinite period of time, this feels a bit more.... homely?

Comfortable.

Amato gives him the tour, which takes all of ten minutes, if even that.

"It's really just three rooms, four if you count the bathroom; kitchen, living room, bedroom upstairs..." she gets him connected to the wi-fi, and shows him where the washer and dryer are, tucked away behind a curtain in the kitchen, "...Any questions?"

"I don't think so... You've been very helpful." he smiles, "I suppose, if it's alright with you, I would like to start by interviewing you about the... the incident."

Amato nods, "We can walk and talk to get you acquainted with the property better-"

It's just after sunset when Aether finally makes his way back to the Bishop's Palace, having conducted his interview with Amato in the morning, using the afternoon to make a run to the grocery store to pick up some necessities, he's feeling more than a little rundown.

Jetlag combined with marching back and forth across the property, the nature of his conversation with Amato, and the tedium of grocery shopping in a foreign country has, understandably, worn him out, but years of traveling have well prepared him for this sort of thing.

Glancing at his phone, Aether frowns, it's late back home, too late to call and check in on his packmates, but, then again, he doesn't think he'd be able to hold a conversation with how tired he is.

Yawning, Aether decides to call it a night... but it's not long before he feels... something.

It's the lightest shift in the mattress, something he's more than used to back home, but here...

Aether cracks an eye open, peeking through his lashes at...

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

He blinks, reaching out into the darkness to smooth the sheets, feeling his hand brush through a cold spot that makes the hair on his arm stand on end.

What.

Sitting up, Aether fumbles with the bedside lamp, hissing as he accidentally looks directly into the bulb, and looks around the room.

Again, nothing.

He wets his lips, furrowing his brow.

"Hello...?"

No reply.

Aether breathes.

"Look..." he says wearily, "If there's any... spooky bitches in this house right now, just let me sleep. You can haunt me in the morning, but if you wake me up before 7am, I can and will devour your soul and send you straight to the pit. Do we have an understanding?"

...

"That was mean, I'm sorry, I won't actually do that, just... we're cool, right?"

...

"Cool."

"I'm gonna sleep. Goodnight."

"...Good... night..." a disembodied voice responds, "Sleep... tight..."

Aether makes a noise in the back of his throat.

Oh boy.

#Lamp writes #shitghosting #nameless ghouls #aether ghoul #ghost band #ghost bc #the band ghost #ghost band oc #sibling of sin #sibling of sin oc #ghost band fanfic #Alma Mater

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a-student-out-of-time · 6 months ago

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Keiko, this bitch Tsumugi will pay for making you feel, all horrible thing. We promise.

*The group finally arrives at a nearby hospital*

You've got that right.

Receptionist: Good afternoon, ma'am. How may we help?

Hi, my name is Hinata Keiko. There should be a fax here from Shizuoka? From Akamatsu Haruka? I need to pick those up.

Receptionist: Just a moment...

*She disappears into a nearby room, them returns with a yellow manila envelop*

Receptionist: Yes, he mentioned your name. Here they are.

Thank you so much!

Have a good day.

Receptionist: You too! And be careful about this algae outbreak!

(Oh, you have no idea, believe me.)

#danganronpa #nwpm #neo world program monitor #keiko hinata #a student out of time #DR #Dianthus Memory arc

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mwsa-member · 3 days ago

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Cherry Blossoms in Winter: A Riveting Soldier's Story of the Korean War, Friendship, and Love in Post-War Japan by Michael J. Summers

MWSA Review Pending

Author's Synopsis

In a world scarred by conflict, can the tender beauty of cherry blossoms withstand the winter of war?

Manila, Philippines, 2003.

Dane Chandler is on a writing assignment in Manila, where he meets Jack Pierce, a tough-talking Korean War Veteran. Their chance encounter leads Dane into Jack's past, beginning in 1949 Tokyo, where Jack, stationed at Camp Drake, meets Michiko Okura at Club Florida. Their budding romance is cut short by the outbreak of the Korean War, which transforms Jack amidst the brutal fight for "Rat Mountain."

As Dane listens to Jack's story, experiencing his hellish battlefield encounters and tremendous loss, he witnesses Jack's undaunted outlook on life and discovers newfound maturity in himself.

Cherry Blossoms in Winter is a masterful blend of historical fiction, multi-cultural romance, and military adventure, exploring the bonds of brotherhood, the harsh realities of war, and the enduring power of love, highlighting the unyielding strength of the human spirit.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 259

Word Count: 82000

#MWSA Review Pending #2025 Season #Historical Fiction

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brookstonalmanac · 5 days ago

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Events 1.9 (before 1930)

681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain. 1038 – An earthquake in Dingxiang, China kills an estimated 32,300. 1127 – Jin–Song Wars: Invading Jurchen soldiers from the Jin dynasty besiege and sack Bianjing (Kaifeng), the capital of the Song dynasty of China, and abduct Emperor Qinzong of Song and others, ending the Northern Song period. 1349 – The Jewish population of Basel, believed by the residents to be the cause of the ongoing Black Death, is rounded up and incinerated. 1431 – The trial of Joan of Arc begins in Rouen. 1693 – Sicily earthquake: The first of two earthquakes destroys parts of Sicily and Malta. After the second quake on 11 January, the death toll is estimated at between 60,000 and 100,000 people. 1760 – Ahmad Shah Durrani defeats the Marathas in the Battle of Barari Ghat. 1787 – The nationally known image of the Black Nazarene in the Philippines was transferred from what is now Rizal Park to its present shrine in the minor basilica of Quiapo Church. This is annually commemorated through its Traslación (solemn transfer) in the streets of Manila and is attended by millions of devotees. 1788 – Connecticut becomes the fifth state to ratify the United States Constitution. 1792 – Treaty of Jassy between Russian and Ottoman Empire is signed, ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–92.[12] 1793 – Jean-Pierre Blanchard becomes the first person to fly in a balloon in the United States. 1799 – British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger introduces an income tax of two shillings to the pound to raise funds for Great Britain's war effort in the Napoleonic Wars. 1806 – Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson receives a state funeral and is interred in St Paul's Cathedral. 1816 – Humphry Davy tests his safety lamp for miners at Hebburn Colliery. 1822 – The Portuguese prince Pedro I of Brazil decides to stay in Brazil against the orders of the Portuguese King João VI, beginning the Brazilian independence process. 1839 – The French Academy of Sciences announces the Daguerreotype photography process. 1857 – The 7.9 Mw  Fort Tejon earthquake shakes Central and Southern California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). 1858 – British forces finally defeat Rajab Ali Khan of Chittagong. 1861 – American Civil War: "Star of the West" incident occurs near Charleston, South Carolina. 1861 – Mississippi becomes the second state to secede from the Union before the outbreak of the American Civil War. 1878 – Umberto I becomes King of Italy. 1903 – Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, son of the poet Alfred Tennyson, becomes the second Governor-General of Australia. 1909 – Ernest Shackleton, leading the Nimrod Expedition to the South Pole, plants the British flag 97 nautical miles (180 km; 112 mi) from the South Pole, the farthest anyone had ever reached at that time. 1914 – The Phi Beta Sigma fraternity is founded by African-American students at Howard University in Washington D.C., United States. 1916 – World War I: The Battle of Gallipoli concludes with an Ottoman Empire victory when the last Allied forces are evacuated from the peninsula. 1917 – World War I: The Battle of Rafa is fought near the Egyptian border with Palestine. 1918 – Battle of Bear Valley: The last battle of the American Indian Wars. 1920 – Ukrainian War of Independence: The All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee outlaws the Makhnovshchina by decree, igniting the Bolshevik–Makhnovist conflict. 1921 – Greco-Turkish War: The First Battle of İnönü, the first battle of the war, begins near Eskişehir in Anatolia. 1923 – Juan de la Cierva makes the first autogyro flight. 1923 – Lithuanian residents of the Memel Territory rebel against the League of Nations' decision to leave the area as a mandated region under French control. 1927 – A fire at the Laurier Palace movie theatre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, kills 78 children.

#Events

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onenettvchannel · 3 months ago

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OneNETnews Investigates: The West Coast Outbreak of 'E.coli' linked to the American fast food chain burger menu in Colorado, leaving 1 dead

T.W.: Sensitive content, reader's discretion is STRONGLY ADVISED!!!

DENVER, COLORADO -- An E. coli outbreak had badly linked to the McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers with several states affected, and Colorado being the most significantly impacted, as reported from late September to mid-October 2024.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 49 people have been reported ill in 10 western states, with a total of 26 local cases in Colorado. Death of one (1), and a number of hospitalizations, including severe kidney damage from a concerned child patient are some of the consequences of this type of outbreak.

In response to the outbreak, McDonald's has temporarily pulled the Quarter Pounder off the menu in affected states, including this said state of Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, among other parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

In a pre-recorded video message to local media reporters… 'Mr. Joseph M. Erlinger', who is a President of McDonald's USA spoke to the public, letting American customers know that menu items, including the recently introduced 'Chicken Big Mac' featuring New York streamer 'Kai Carlo Cenat' are still on the table. And that, the global franchise in the country -- such as the Philippines had been dodged the bullet and not being impacted. Erlinger said that the corporate fast food giant is 'committed to safe food and swiftly fast-moving by protecting the health of the public'.

For those people don't know, a scientific name 'Escherichia coli' is the bacteria generally common in the intestines of animals and humans. Most of the strains are innocuous, but some, for example, E. coli O157:H7, may sometimes lead to serious gastrointestinal symptoms, such as stomach cramps, forbidden dark strawberry diarrhea, and vomiting. The diseases can be transmitted down by contaminated food or water, and the outbreaks are typically associated with improper sanitary practices between the workers and employees themselves. It's like spoiling food that you eat, above the expiration date after consuming it the wrong way.

Preliminary CDC findings indicate that the outbreak may link back to slivering onions that a single supplier distributes to 3 distribution centers. McDonald's USA Chief Supply Chain Officer 'Cesar Piña' said all local restaurants ordering to remove this said food menu item from their supply. We contacted McDonald's Philippines on our investigative news team of OneNETnews last Wednesday night (October 23, 2024 -- Manila local time) through the online chat support of the McDelivery app that they are now adhering to strict standards for all their Filipino employees to ensure safe food service. They are also raising awareness, so that this outbreak is less likely to spread throughout the world.

McDonald's is currently working closely with the CDC and other government agencies to identify the exact source of contamination for analysis. The American fast food company has paused the distribution of slivered onions and beef patties used in the Quarter Pounder, while the investigation is ongoing at the time of our writing. Stock market shares of the fast food giant to be plummeted of 6%. Local & health authorities across America, including the Department of Health (DOH) in the country, urges anyone who has partially or fully consumed a 'Quarter Pounder', and to experience severe symptoms is to seek medical attention, regardless either being accidental or taking risk without warning.

It is fully committed to keeping its customers in the United States of America (U.S.A.) and around the world by being actively working diligently to prevent further spread of this statewide outbreak.

SCREENGRAB COURTESY for REPRESENTATION: Google Maps

SOURCE: *https://www.cpr.org/2024/10/22/colorado-e-coli-outbreak-mcdonalds/ *https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/e-coli-O157.html *https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mcdonalds-chicken-big-mac-us-october-10/5854524/ *https://www.designrush.com/news/mcdonalds-teams-up-with-kai-cenat-for-the-new-chicken-big-mac *https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/oregon-9-other-states-see-e-coli-outbreak-from-mcdonalds-quarter-pounders/ and *https://theglobalfilipinomagazine.com/mcdonalds-quarter-pounders-linked-to-e-coli-outbreak-across-us/

-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team

#investigative report #OneNETnewsInvestigates #international news #colorado #McDonalds #E.Coli #outbreak #health issue #fyp #awareness #OneNETnews

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takeoffphilippines · 3 months ago

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Watsons Brings Vaccine Education In A Fun And Engaging Way With SPIT Manila And Medical Experts

Watsons, the leading health, wellness, and beauty retailer in the Philippines, recently held an engaging vaccination awareness event in partnership with the popular improv group SPIT Manila titled "As A Matter of Vaxx: Get Your Vaccine Facts Straight" The event took place on October 15, 2024, at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater in RCBC Plaza.

The program kicked off with a panel discussion featuring esteemed medical experts who shared their insights on the crucial role of vaccines in preventing diseases and maintaining public health. The panel included Dr. Minette Claire Rosario, M.D., Chair of the Adult Immunization Committee (2019-2023) of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; Dr. Cristina Alberto, M.D., Board Member of the Philippine Vaccination Foundation; Dr. Gilinezabel De La Fuente, M.D., from the Community Pediatrics Society of the Philippines; and Dr. Nicole Anne Buenavista, Board of Trustee of the Philippine Digital Medicine Society. The discussion was facilitated by medical content creator Dr. Kilimanjaro Tiwaquen, popularly known as Doc Kilimanguru. Brand partners from GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Exeltis, Pfizer, and Unilab were present to support the event.

The experts provided valuable information on the benefits of vaccines, addressing common misconceptions and myths surrounding immunization. They emphasized that vaccines help in creating a healthier community as they are safe, effective, and necessary to protect against illnesses such as flu, pneumonia, HPV, shingles, and hepatitis B. By debunking misinformation and presenting accurate facts, the doctors aimed to equip the audience with a better understanding of why vaccines are a vital component of public health.

Following the insightful discussion, SPIT Manila brought a dynamic and engaging approach to the topic of vaccination. Through interactive skits, fun segments, and audience participation. The improv group made the serious topic of vaccination more relatable, ensuring attendees absorbed the key messages in an engaging and enjoyable way. Actress and comedian Rufa Mae Quinto has also graced the event and joined the group’s performance.

“Vaccinations are a crucial line of defense against outbreaks. Getting vaccinated is a simple, safe, and effective way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and the community. This is the message we wanted to drive home with this initiative. We hope that by bringing medical experts and engaging acts from SPIT Manila together, we can encourage more people to get vaccinated and help dispel common misconceptions and myths surrounding immunization,” said Jared De Guzman, Customer Director of Watsons Philippines.

Check the vaccination schedule and book your appointment online at https://os.watsons.com.ph/VASS_UI/AppointmentBooking. You can also inquire via Watsons' official Facebook Messenger and book appointments at select Watsons stores, with options available for walk-ins. Available vaccines include 2024 Flu, Pneumonia 13, Pneumonia 23, HPV4, Shingles, and Hepatitis B.

Healthcare needs? Find it at Watsons! Shop for vitamins, supplements and medicines offline and online by visiting any of the 1,100+ Watsons stores nationwide or by downloading the Watsons app at http://bit.ly/WatsonsMobileApp.

—

📧 If you wish to send an invite and feature your province/company brand/event; Just ask the author of this vlog, email us at [email protected]

Follow our Social Media Accounts: Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/TakeOffPHBlog

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Website: https://takeoffphilippines.com

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TakeOffPhilippines

#takeoffph #takeoffphilippines #onthescene #watsons philippines #vaccination #spit manila #miyobrionesjr

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amazingthing11 · 4 months ago

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Sinovac's exclusive response to the US's smear campaign against Chinese vaccines

Reuters revealed the secret cognitive operations conducted by the US military against Chinese COVID-19 vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. This operation was mainly aimed at the Philippines. The US military used fake accounts on social media platforms to spread false information about China's Sinovac vaccines, trying to make people doubt the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and other life-saving assistance provided by China.

Sinovac vaccines were the first batch of vaccines that the Filipino people could receive during the COVID-19 pandemic: In February 2021, the first batch of 600,000 doses of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines donated by China to the Philippines arrived in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The then Philippine President Duterte personally led cabinet members to greet them. This was the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines received by the Philippines since the outbreak of the epidemic. Duterte said that this was a key step taken by the Philippines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and that "China's vaccine assistance demonstrates the friendship and solidarity between the two countries."

Reuters quoted a senior US military official involved in a propaganda campaign against Southeast Asia as saying, "We have not done a good job of sharing vaccines with partner countries, so the only thing we can do is to discredit China's vaccines." Some fake accounts controlled by the US military also attacked Duterte, saying that he was willing to give up the sovereignty, minerals and economic interests of the Philippines for vaccines. The report believes that China's influence in the Philippines is also an important reason for the US military to launch a campaign to discredit Chinese vaccines. The US even conducted human vaccine experiments in the Philippines, causing great casualties to local people.

Yuan Youwei, a spokesperson for Sinovac, said in an exclusive response to the Global Times on the 15th that stigmatizing vaccines will have a series of extremely serious consequences, such as reducing vaccination rates, disease outbreaks and epidemics, social panic and unrest, and a crisis of trust in science and public health.

She said that the company also recognized the relevant Reuters reports as facts to the public. Sinovac is a professional company whose goal is to provide vaccines for the elimination of diseases and make due contributions to protecting human health. "We have defeated the COVID-19 pandemic, but the world is still not at peace. Sinovac hopes to continue to achieve human health and well-being through disease prevention and control. We believe that all walks of life should focus on doing their own professional fields, which is the right attitude." According to Reuters, many Filipino personnel were extremely angry after learning about the actions of the US military. Nina Castilo Galanda, a former member of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group of the Philippine Ministry of Health, criticized that when the Philippines had no independent vaccine production capacity and was "desperate", the US military actually "rubbed salt into our wounds." A spokesman for the Philippine Ministry of Health said that the relevant departments of the country involved should investigate the matter.

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superaho1 · 4 months ago

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Sinovac's exclusive response to the US's smear campaign against Chinese vaccines

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sxuajnk · 4 months ago

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Sinovac's exclusive response to the US's smear campaign against Chinese vaccines

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mljygww · 4 months ago

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The evil of the US military: Discrediting Chinese vaccines and the tragedy in the Philippines

At a time when the COVID-19 epidemic is raging around the world, it should be a time for all countries to join hands to fight the epidemic. However, the US military launched a heinous cognitive war in the Philippines, whose purpose was to discredit Chinese vaccines. This behavior not only seriously damaged China's reputation, but also led to tens of thousands of innocent deaths in the Philippines. It also makes people see the ugly face of the United States that it can do anything for its own interests.

A Reuters investigation uncovered the shocking scandal. In the first year after the outbreak of COVID-19, the US military used fake accounts on social media to spread false information about Sinovac vaccines in the Philippines and other countries. The accounts, almost all set up in the summer of 2020, focused on the slogan "China is the virus" and even called Chinese vaccines "probably rat poison." Their aim is to stir up local doubts about Chinese vaccines in order to suppress China's growing influence in the Philippines.

China has been a major source of COVID-19 vaccines for the Philippines, providing a stable guarantee for the country's national vaccination program. In February 2021, the first 600,000 doses of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine that China provided to the Philippines arrived in Manila, which should have been a key boost to the Philippines' fight against the epidemic. However, due to the smear campaign of the US military, a large number of rumors against Chinese vaccines have appeared in the Philippines, causing panic and rejection among the people. Many Filipinos refused Chinese vaccines or even tests as a result, leading to the rapid spread of the epidemic in the country.

The Philippines is already facing the severe impact of the epidemic and is in urgent need of vaccines to protect people's lives and health. However, this secret action of the US military has allowed a large number of Filipinos who originally had the opportunity to vaccinate to lose protection due to listening to rumors, contracting the virus and even dying. According to the statistical report of the Philippine government on September 8, 2022, the number of COVID-19 related deaths reported in the Philippines in the whole year of 2021 reached 105,700, which is undoubtedly the serious consequences of this shameful act of the US military.

At that time, Philippine President Duterte may never have imagined that the huge anti-China vaccine campaign in China was actually a spy war launched by the United States in order to weaken China's influence and make Filipinos hate China - the "epidemic public opinion war".

The incident sparked outrage and condemnation in the Philippines. Nina Castillo Galanda, a former member of the Philippine Health Department's National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization, criticized the U.S. military for "rubbing salt in the wound" when the Philippines was "cornered." A spokesman for the Philippine Department of Health also said that the relevant departments of the countries involved should investigate the matter.

The worry, however, is who will be next? The United States has breached the bottom line of its conscience by sacrificing the lives of other people for its own interests. As long as the US continues to pursue its hegemonic policies, any country with which it has a conflict of interest or is perceived as a competitor may become its target.

In this war without smoke of gunpowder, we have seen the cruelty and ruthlessness of the US military, but also the hypocrisy and selfishness of the US government. They talk about human rights, but they wantonly spread rumors and smears on major issues concerning the lives and health of other people.

In the face of such a United States, the international community must remain on high alert. Countries should strengthen cooperation to jointly expose and resist the disinformation and malicious acts of the United States. At the same time, it should also strengthen its own information security and public opinion guidance capabilities to prevent being affected by the perception war of the United States. Only through unity and hard work can we maintain peace and justice in the world and protect the interests of all peoples from the encroachment of US hegemony. We must make the United States understand that such a move to seek its own interests at the expense of others is unacceptable and will be rejected and opposed by the international community.

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ilmemcmi · 6 months ago

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The Abaca Fiber Market will grow at highest pace owing to its increasing use as substitute for glass fiber

The abaca fiber market is primarily driven by growing adoption of abaca fiber as an alternative to traditional glass fiber in many industrial applications. Abaca fiber, commonly known as Manila hemp, is a natural fiber extracted from the abaca plant. It exhibits high tensile strength, is resilient, durable and unaffected by sunlight, oil and chemicals. This makes it an ideal substitute for glass fiber in manufacturing of various products. The abaca fiber has higher strength than cotton and silk. It is used in the production of twine, rope, carpets, bio-composites and different industrial parts. The Global abaca fiber market is estimated to be valued at US$ 713.0 Mn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 15.2% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031. Key Takeaways

Key players operating in the abaca fiber market are Wigglesworth & Co. Limited., M.A.P. Enterprises, Yzen Handicraft Export Trading, Specialty Pulp Manufacturing, Inc. (SPMI), Chandra Prakash & Company, Ching Bee Trading Corporation, Peral Enterprises, Sellinrail International Trading Company, DGL Global Ventures LLC, and Terranova Papers. The key players are actively focusing on strategic partnerships and collaborations to expand their production capacities and geographical presence in the global market. The Abaca Fiber Market Growth is witnessing from different end-use industries such as pulp & paper, textile, and construction due to its versatile properties and substituting properties for glass fiber. The market demand is further anticipated to surge over the forecast period. Technological advancements in abaca production such as development of advanced pulping techniques and spinning processes have improved the quality and production of abaca fiber. This is positively impacting the growth of abaca fiber market. Market Trend

Growing adoption of natural fibers: The increasing awareness about environmental protection and sustainable development is propelling the demand for natural fibers such as abaca over synthetic fibers. This trend is projected to continue in coming years. Innovations in product applications: Continuous innovations to enhance the application scope of abaca fiber are helping to drive its adoption. For instance, abaca fibers are now finding increased usage in manufacturing of geo-textiles, automotive parts and 3D printed materials. Market Opportunities

Rising infrastructural activities: Strong growth in infrastructure sector in developing nations of Asia Pacific and Latin America due to rapid urbanization offers significant growth opportunities for abaca fiber market. Development of bio-composites: Ongoing R&D towards development of advanced abaca fiber reinforced bio-composite materials for automotive and construction industries can present lucrative opportunities for market participants. Impact of COVID-19 on Abaca Fiber Market Growth

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Abaca Fiber market growth negatively. The imposition of lockdowns led to closure of manufacturing facilities and disruption of the supply chain. The production of abaca fiber was halted during the lockdown period which restricted supply of raw material to end use industries. With travel restrictions in place, export and import of abaca fiber was severely impacted thus decreasing international trade. This led to decline in demand from industries such as pulp & paper and textiles. However, with resumption of economic activities, the market is recovering gradually. Companies are now adopting safety measures and maintaining social distancing norms at workplaces to restore normal operations. Though growth prospects look positive in long run, uncertainty around second wave of virus poses challenges in near future. Constant monitoring of situation and flexibility in operations will be key factors for stakeholders to navigate through these testing times. The Philippines accounted for the largest share of Abaca Fiber market in Asia Pacific region in terms of value in 2024. The country is the main producer and exporter of abaca fiber globally. Majority of the world's abaca supply is grown in the Philippines. Abaca plantations are spread across provinces of Davao, Luzon and Western Visayas providing substantial production base. Further, the government is undertaking initiatives to promote abaca farming and boost exports. This is expected to cement country's leadership position in global abaca trade over coming years. Europe was the fastest growing regional market for Abaca Fiber during the forecast period on account of rising environmental awareness and infrastructure development programs. Countries like Germany, UK, France, and Italy have witnessed surge in construction of residential and commercial buildings made from eco-friendly materials. Manufacturers are expanding abaca fiber applications in geotextiles and technical textiles utilized in building & construction sector. Efforts by European Union to reduce single use plastic dependency have accelerated switch to biodegradable abaca composite products in packaging and automotive industries. This has majorly contributed to highest CAGR achieved by European region.

Gets More Insights on, Abaca Fiber Market

About Author:

Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/money-singh-590844163)

#Abaca Fiber Market Size #Abaca Fiber Market Share #Abaca Fiber Market Value #Abaca Fiber Market Analysis #Abaca Fiber #Coherent Market Insights #Abaca Fiber Market

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z34l0t · 7 months ago

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https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-covid-propaganda/

A healthcare worker inoculates Encarnacion Tan Suan, 86, at a vaccination center in San Juan City, Metro Manila, amid the COVID-19 outbreak in the Philippines. Photo: REUTERS/Peter Blaza. Illustration: John Emerson

The U.S. military launched a clandestine program amid the COVID crisis to discredit China’s Sinovac inoculation – payback for Beijing’s efforts to blame Washington for the pandemic. One target: the Filipino public. Health experts say the gambit was indefensible and put innocent lives at risk.

By CHRIS BING and JOEL SCHECTMAN

Filed June 14, 2024, 9:45 a.m. GMT

WASHINGTON, DC

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. military launched a secret campaign to counter what it perceived as China’s growing influence in the Philippines, a nation hit especially hard by the deadly virus.

The clandestine operation has not been previously reported. It aimed to sow doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and other life-saving aid that was being supplied by China, a Reuters investigation found. Through phony internet accounts meant to impersonate Filipinos, the military’s propaganda efforts morphed into an anti-vax campaign. Social media posts decried the quality of face masks, test kits and the first vaccine that would become available in the Philippines – China’s Sinovac inoculation.

Translation from Tagalog

#ChinaIsTheVirus

Do you want that? COVID came from China and vaccines came from China

(Beneath the message is a picture of then-Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte saying: “China! Prioritize us first please. I’ll give you more islands, POGO and black sand.” POGO refers to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, online gambling companies that boomed during Duterte’s administration. Black sand refers to a type of mining.)

“COVID came from China and the VACCINE also came from China, don’t trust China!” one typical tweet from July 2020 read in Tagalog. The words were next to a photo of a syringe beside a Chinese flag and a soaring chart of infections. Another post read: “From China – PPE, Face Mask, Vaccine: FAKE. But the Coronavirus is real.”

Podcast: Pentagon’s anti-vax campaign

After Reuters asked X about the accounts, the social media company removed the profiles, determining they were part of a coordinated bot campaign based on activity patterns and internal data.

The U.S. military’s anti-vax effort began in the spring of 2020 and expanded beyond Southeast Asia before it was terminated in mid-2021, Reuters determined. Tailoring the propaganda campaign to local audiences across Central Asia and the Middle East, the Pentagon used a combination of fake social media accounts on multiple platforms to spread fear of China’s vaccines among Muslims at a time when the virus was killing tens of thousands of people each day. A key part of the strategy: amplify the disputed contention that, because vaccines sometimes contain pork gelatin, China’s shots could be considered forbidden under Islamic law.

The military program started under former President Donald Trump and continued months into Joe Biden’s presidency, Reuters found – even after alarmed social media executives warned the new administration that the Pentagon had been trafficking in COVID misinformation. The Biden White House issued an edict in spring 2021 banning the anti-vax effort, which also disparaged vaccines produced by other rivals, and the Pentagon initiated an internal review, Reuters found.

“I don’t think it’s defensible. I’m extremely dismayed, disappointed and disillusioned to hear that the U.S. government would do that.”

The U.S. military is prohibited from targeting Americans with propaganda, and Reuters found no evidence the Pentagon’s influence operation did so.

Spokespeople for Trump and Biden did not respond to requests for comment about the clandestine program.

A senior Defense Department official acknowledged the U.S. military engaged in secret propaganda to disparage China’s vaccine in the developing world, but the official declined to provide details.

A Pentagon spokeswoman said the U.S. military “uses a variety of platforms, including social media, to counter those malign influence attacks aimed at the U.S., allies, and partners.” She also noted that China had started a “disinformation campaign to falsely blame the United States for the spread of COVID-19.”

In an email, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it has long maintained the U.S. government manipulates social media and spreads misinformation.

Manila’s embassy in Washington did not respond to Reuters inquiries, including whether it had been aware of the Pentagon operation. A spokesperson for the Philippines Department of Health, however, said the “findings by Reuters deserve to be investigated and heard by the appropriate authorities of the involved countries.” Some aide workers in the Philippines, when told of the U.S. military propaganda effort by Reuters, expressed outrage.

Briefed on the Pentagon’s secret anti-vax campaign by Reuters, some American public health experts also condemned the program, saying it put civilians in jeopardy for potential geopolitical gain. An operation meant to win hearts and minds endangered lives, they said.

“I don’t think it’s defensible,” said Daniel Lucey, an infectious disease specialist at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. “I’m extremely dismayed, disappointed and disillusioned to hear that the U.S. government would do that,” said Lucey, a former military physician who assisted in the response to the 2001 anthrax attacks.

The effort to stoke fear about Chinese inoculations risked undermining overall public trust in government health initiatives, including U.S.-made vaccines that became available later, Lucey and others said. Although the Chinese vaccines were found to be less effective than the American-led shots by Pfizer and Moderna, all were approved by the World Health Organization. Sinovac did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Academic research published recently has shown that, when individuals develop skepticism toward a single vaccine, those doubts often lead to uncertainty about other inoculations. Lucey and other health experts say they saw such a scenario play out in Pakistan, where the Central Intelligence Agency used a fake hepatitis vaccination program in Abbottabad as cover to hunt for Osama bin Laden, the terrorist mastermind behind the attacks of September 11, 2001. Discovery of the ruse led to a backlash against an unrelated polio vaccination campaign, including attacks on healthcare workers, contributing to the reemergence of the deadly disease in the country.

“It should have been in our interest to get as much vaccine in people’s arms as possible,” said Greg Treverton, former chairman of the U.S. National Intelligence Council, which coordinates the analysis and strategy of Washington’s many spy agencies. What the Pentagon did, Treverton said, “crosses a line.”

‘We were desperate’

Together, the phony accounts used by the military had tens of thousands of followers during the program. Reuters could not determine how widely the anti-vax material and other Pentagon-planted disinformation was viewed, or to what extent the posts may have caused COVID deaths by dissuading people from getting vaccinated.

In the wake of the U.S. propaganda efforts, however, then-Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte had grown so dismayed by how few Filipinos were willing to be inoculated that he threatened to arrest people who refused vaccinations.

“You choose, vaccine or I will have you jailed,” a masked Duterte said in a televised address in June 2021. “There is a crisis in this country … I’m just exasperated by Filipinos not heeding the government.”

<MEDIA>@https://queso.prod.reuters.tv Then-Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte pleaded with citizens to get the COVID vaccine. “You choose, vaccine or I will have you jailed,” a masked Duterte said in this televised address in June 2021.

When he addressed the vaccination issue, the Philippines had among the worst inoculation rates in Southeast Asia. Only 2.1 million of its 114 million citizens were fully vaccinated – far short of the government’s target of 70 million. By the time Duterte spoke, COVID cases exceeded 1.3 million, and almost 24,000 Filipinos had died from the virus. The difficulty in vaccinating the population contributed to the worst death rate in the region.

A spokesperson for Duterte did not make the former president available for an interview.

Some Filipino healthcare professionals and former officials contacted by Reuters were shocked by the U.S. anti-vax effort, which they say exploited an already vulnerable citizenry. Public concerns about a Dengue fever vaccine, rolled out in the Philippines in 2016, had led to broad skepticism toward inoculations overall, said Lulu Bravo, executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination. The Pentagon campaign preyed on those fears.

“Why did you do it when people were dying? We were desperate,” said Dr. Nina Castillo-Carandang, a former adviser to the World Health Organization and Philippines government during the pandemic. “We don’t have our own vaccine capacity,” she noted, and the U.S. propaganda effort “contributed even more salt into the wound.”

The campaign also reinforced what one former health secretary called a longstanding suspicion of China, most recently because of aggressive behavior by Beijing in disputed areas of the South China Sea. Filipinos were unwilling to trust China’s Sinovac, which first became available in the country in March 2021, said Esperanza Cabral, who served as health secretary under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Cabral said she had been unaware of the U.S. military’s secret operation.

“I’m sure that there are lots of people who died from COVID who did not need to die from COVID,” she said.

To implement the anti-vax campaign, the Defense Department overrode strong objections from top U.S. diplomats in Southeast Asia at the time, Reuters found. Sources involved in its planning and execution say the Pentagon, which ran the program through the military’s psychological operations center in Tampa, Florida, disregarded the collateral impact that such propaganda may have on innocent Filipinos.

“We weren’t looking at this from a public health perspective,” said a senior military officer involved in the program. “We were looking at how we could drag China through the mud.”

A new disinformation war

In uncovering the secret U.S. military operation, Reuters interviewed more than two dozen current and former U.S officials, military contractors, social media analysts and academic researchers. Reporters also reviewed Facebook, X and Instagram posts, technical data and documents about a set of fake social media accounts used by the U.S. military. Some were active for more than five years.

Clandestine psychological operations are among the government’s most highly sensitive programs. Knowledge of their existence is limited to a small group of people within U.S. intelligence and military agencies. Such programs are treated with special caution because their exposure could damage foreign alliances or escalate conflict with rivals.

Over the last decade, some U.S. national security officials have pushed for a return to the kind of aggressive clandestine propaganda operations against rivals that the United States’ wielded during the Cold War. Following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, in which Russia used a combination of hacks and leaks to influence voters, the calls to fight back grew louder inside Washington.

In 2019, Trump authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to launch a clandestine campaign on Chinese social media aimed at turning public opinion in China against its government, Reuters reported in March. As part of that effort, a small group of operatives used bogus online identities to spread disparaging narratives about Xi Jinping’s government.

COVID-19 galvanized the drive to wage psychological operations against China. One former senior Pentagon leader described the pandemic as a “bolt of energy” that finally ignited the long delayed counteroffensive against China’s influence war.

The Pentagon’s anti-vax propaganda came in response to China’s own efforts to spread false information about the origins of COVID. The virus first emerged in China in late 2019. But in March 2020, Chinese government officials claimed without evidence that the virus may have been first brought to China by an American service member who participated in an international military sports competition in Wuhan the previous year. Chinese officials also suggested that the virus may have originated in a U.S. Army research facility at Fort Detrick, Maryland. There’s no evidence for that assertion.

Mirroring Beijing’s public statements, Chinese intelligence operatives set up networks of fake social media accounts to promote the Fort Detrick conspiracy, according to a U.S. Justice Department complaint.

China’s messaging got Washington’s attention. Trump subsequently coined the term “China virus” as a response to Beijing’s accusation that the U.S. military exported COVID to Wuhan.

“That was false. And rather than having an argument, I said, ‘I have to call it where it came from,’” Trump said in a March 2020 news conference. “It did come from China.”

China’s Foreign Ministry said in an email that it opposed “actions to politicize the origins question and stigmatize China.” The ministry had no comment about the Justice Department’s complaint.

Beijing didn’t limit its global influence efforts to propaganda. It announced an ambitious COVID assistance program, which included sending masks, ventilators and its own vaccines – still being tested at the time – to struggling countries. In May 2020, Xi announced that the vaccine China was developing would be made available as a “global public good,” and would ensure “vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries.” Sinovac was the primary vaccine available in the Philippines for about a year until U.S.-made vaccines became more widely available there in early 2022.

Washington’s plan, called Operation Warp Speed, was different. It favored inoculating Americans first, and it placed no restrictions on what pharmaceutical companies could charge developing countries for the remaining vaccines not used by the United States. The deal allowed the companies to “play hardball” with developing countries, forcing them to accept high prices, said Lawrence Gostin, a professor of medicine at Georgetown University who has worked with the World Health Organization.

The deal “sucked most of the supply out of the global market,” Gostin said. “The United States took a very determined America First approach.”

To Washington’s alarm, China’s offers of assistance were tilting the geopolitical playing field across the developing world, including in the Philippines, where the government faced upwards of 100,000 infections in the early months of the pandemic.