DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Philippine police hunt for six kidnapped Chinese nationals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Damir Sagolj Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Philippine authorities were trying to track the whereabouts of six Chinese nationals who were abducted in the capital region this week, police said on Thursday. Police anti-kidnapping chief Cosme Abrenica said authorities were investigating the abduction of nine people on Monday in an upscale neighbourhood in southern Metro Manila. Six of the victims were Chinese, who remain missing, and three were Filipino who were released shortly after they were abducted. Abrenica did not disclose the identities of the victims or give any details on their status in the Philippines. The Chinese embassy in Manila said it had noted a request from Reuters for comment.

Persons: Carlos Dominguez, Gao Hucheng, Damir Sagolj, Cosme Abrenica, it's, Abrenica, Philip Aguilar, Mikhail Flores, Robert Birsel Organizations: Philippine, China's, REUTERS, Rights, Police, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights MANILA, Metro Manila, Philippines, Calauan, Manila

☆ Philippine Police Hunt for Six Kidnapped Chinese Nationals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine authorities were trying to track the whereabouts of six Chinese nationals who were abducted in the capital region this week, police said on Thursday. Police anti-kidnapping chief Cosme Abrenica said authorities were investigating the abduction of nine people on Monday in an upscale neighbourhood in southern Metro Manila. Six of the victims were Chinese, who remain missing, and three were Filipino who were released shortly after they were abducted. Abrenica did not disclose the identities of the victims or give any details on their status in the Philippines. The Chinese embassy in Manila said it had noted a request from Reuters for comment.

Persons: Cosme Abrenica, it's, Abrenica, Philip Aguilar, Mikhail Flores, Robert Birsel Organizations: Police, Reuters Locations: MANILA, Metro Manila, Philippines, Calauan, Manila, China

☆ New Zealand election winner will face defence spending decisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Whoever wins New Zealand’s election on Saturday is going to have to make some difficult decisions on investment and staffing for a defence force struggling with aging equipment and personnel shortages. The centre-right National Party led by Christopher Luxon is expected to emerge as the largest party in the Saturday vote with Prime Minister Chris Hipkin’s Labour Party coming second. Both Labour and the National Party have said they'd like to increase defence spending but have not promised to do so. Underspending on the military and the challenges it faces are well documented and it is becoming increasingly difficult to postpone costly decisions, defence analysts say. The Labour Party has campaigned on a policy of introducing an authority to set pay rates.

Persons: Te, Romeo Ranoco, Christopher Luxon, Chris Hipkin’s, “, ”, Anna Powles, Lucy Craymer, Robert Birsel Organizations: Royal New Zealand Navy, REUTERS, Rights, New Zealand Defence Force, National Party, Chris Hipkin’s Labour Party, Labour, National, ACT, Gross, Centre for Defence, Security, Massey University, New Zealand, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: Manila, Philippines, New Zealand, Pacific, South Pacific

Passengers queue at airline counters in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, January 2, 2023. "While the information is currently under validation, immediate enhanced security measures are being implemented across all airports," CAAP said. The Oct. 4 memo included a screenshot of what it said was the threat, which did not contain the word "bomb" but said "an airplane will explode" at Manila's international airport today and "please beware". Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said patrols had been increased and K9 units deployed at all terminals of Manila's international airport, and law enforcement agencies were coordinating closely. Reporting by Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Eloisa Lopez, CAAP, Jaime Bautista, Bautista, Karen Lema, Mikhail Flores, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Ninoy Aquino International Airport, REUTERS, Security, Civil Aviation Authority of, Philippines Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Thomson Locations: Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, Manila, MANILA, Davao, Bicol, Palawan, Cebu

☆ Nobel laureate Ressa acquitted in Philippine tax case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Mikhail Flores | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Philippines Nobel laureate Maria Ressa faces the media after she and her news site Rappler were acquitted of tax fraud by a trial court in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, September 12, 2023. After the verdict was announced, Ressa told reporters Her acquittal sends a "good signal" to the business community, as her tax charges "have a lot to do with the rule of law". "The acquittal now strengthens our resolve to continue with the justice system, to submit ourselves to the court despite the political harassment, despite the attack on press freedom," Ressa said. Ressa's acquittal was expected after she was cleared of similar tax charges nine months ago. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who has been in office for 14 months, has said he would not interfere in the court cases against Rappler.

Persons: Maria Ressa, Rappler, Eloisa Lopez, Rodrigo Duterte, Ressa, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Francis Lim, Mikhail Flores, Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: REUTERS, Rappler, World Press, Thomson Locations: Philippines, Pasig City, Metro Manila, MANILA, Russian

☆ Nobel laureate Maria Ressa acquitted in Philippine tax case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Philippine journalist and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa reacts outside the Pasig Regional Trial Court following her acquittal in a tax evasion case in Pasig, Metro Manila on Sept. 12, 2023. Philippines Nobel laureate Maria Ressa and her news site Rappler were acquitted of tax fraud by a trial court on Tuesday, in another legal victory for the embattled journalist. After the verdict was announced, Ressa told reporters she felt "good" about the court's decision. Ressa's acquittal was expected after she was cleared of similar tax charges nine months ago. Ressa, 59, is currently on bail and was convicted in 2020 for cyber libel in one of several cases against the website filed by government agencies.

Persons: Maria Ressa, Rappler, Ressa, Rodrigo Duterte Locations: Philippine, Pasig, Metro Manila, Philippines, Russian

CNN —At least 15 people were killed after a fire broke out at a house that was being used as a factory in the Metro Manila area on Thursday, CNN affiliate CNN Philippines reported, citing local authorities. Marcelo Ragundiaz, fire brigade chief for Barangay Tandang Sora district, said the homeowner’s child, whose age was not specified, was among those who died in the blaze in Quezon City. CNN is unable to verify the details of the incident independently, as calls to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BNF), BFP NCR Fire District 5 Quezon City, and emails to the local authorities of Quezon City were not answered. The Quezon City government will investigate whether the homeowner violated building and fire codes, and if they had permits to use the property as a commercial building, CNN Philippines reported. It comes just days after 10 people suffered burns and cuts resulting from a fire in a residential area of Quezon City on Sunday, according to CNN Philippines.

Persons: Marcelo Ragundiaz, Ragundiaz Organizations: CNN, CNN Philippines, Tandang, of Fire Locations: Metro Manila, Tandang Sora, Quezon City, CNN Philippines

☆ Singapore's Grab forecasts smaller operating loss this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A Grab employee shows the Apps used to book a cab in the metro Manila, Philippines July 22, 2016. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 23 (Reuters) - Grab (GRAB.O) forecast a smaller operating loss for the current fiscal year and pulled forward its profitability timeline on Wednesday, driven by cost savings from its recent workforce reduction. The Southeast Asian internet firm now sees adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization between $30 million and $40 million, compared to its earlier forecast of $195 million to $235 million. Grab is undergoing a restructuring focused on lowering costs, with measures including cuts to its cloud bill and consumer and worker incentives. In the quarter ended June 30, the company's revenue increased 77%, to $567 million, surpassing analysts' estimate of $546.1 million, according to Refinitiv data.

Persons: Romeo Ranoco, Yuvraj Malik, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Manila, Philippines, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ China blasts US for forcing it to accept South China Sea ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Filipino activists gather outside the Chinese consular office to commemorate the anniversary of the Philippines' victory against China in the UN arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 12, 2023. The ruling, handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague seven years ago, concluded that Beijing's claim to almost the entire South China Sea was groundless. China, whose actions in the South China Sea have been the subject of hundreds of diplomatic protests filed by the Philippines, also maintained that it does not accept any claim or action based on the ruling. "We firmly reject attempts to deliberately diminish or undermine the Award's definitive legal effects in international law," Philippines Foreign Ministry undersecretary Theresa Lazaro told a forum on the South China Sea. About $3 trillion worth of sea-borne goods pass through the South China Sea every year.

Persons: Eloisa Lopez, Wang Wenbing, Matthew Miller, Theresa Lazaro, Karen Lema, Bernard Orr, Raissa Kasolowsky, Mark Porter Organizations: China, UN, REUTERS, Foreign Ministry, U.S . State Department, Wednesday, Beijing, Philippines Foreign, Thomson Locations: Philippines, China, Makati City, Metro Manila, Eloisa Lopez BEIJING, United States, South China, Washington, Beijing, The Hague, U.S, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Manila

☆ 16 abused children freed in Philippines after man’s arrest in Sydney
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Teele Rebane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Sixteen children allegedly abused in the Philippines have been rescued after Australian police found sexually explicit material on the phone of a man arrested in Sydney. The investigation began in January when the Australian Border Force intercepted a Queensland man, 56, as he returned to Sydney from the Philippines, the statement said. After searching his phone, the ABF found child abuse material and messages detailing his intent to pay a facilitator who would enable him to sexually abuse children in the Philippines. The man was charged with three offenses including grooming and possession of child abuse material, which carry a potential maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. “We must collaborate with our international partners, such as the AFP, to arrest offenders and rescue child victims,” she said.

Persons: ”, Andrew Perkins, Portia Manalad Organizations: CNN, Philippine National Police, Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Philippine Department of Social Welfare, Development, Philippine National Police Women, Children Protection, AFP, Philippine Internet Locations: Philippines, Sydney, Metro Manila, Northern Philippines, Queensland, Manila, Philippine, Australia, United Kingdom, Netherlands

☆ Philippine central bank on hold for rest of year, cut in early 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Veronica Dudei Maia Khongwir | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

All 24 economists polled June 13-19 forecast the BSP will hold its benchmark overnight borrowing rate (PHCBIR=ECI) at 6.25% at its policy meeting on June 22. A strong majority of respondents, 14 of 17, forecast rates will stay at 6.25% for the rest of the year with the remaining three predicting a rate cut by end-2023. The central bank, which had previously closely followed the U.S. Federal Reserve in hiking interest rates, is now charting a distinct course. "In later meetings if the Fed hikes, the BSP is likely to stay on hold. The Fed kept interest rates unchanged at 5.00%-5.25% last week but signaled it may still hike by as much as half of a percentage point by end-2023.

Persons: Eloisa Lopez, Felipe Medalla, Francisco Dakila Jr, Shreya, Veronica Dudei Maia Khongwir, Anant Chandak, Madhumita Gokhale, Hari Kishan, Ross Finley, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, ng Pilipinas, U.S . Federal Reserve, Fed, Barclays, BSP, Thomson Locations: Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines, BENGALURU, Philippine

To help address that, Tokyo in April said it would offer like-minded countries military aid, including radars, that the officials said would help the Philippines plug defensive gaps. One, however, said the aid effort was a Japanese initiative and not anything the United States had pressed for. The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs said it was not immediately able to comment on security aid from Japan or hosting Japanese troops. LOOSENING THE RULESThe scope of Japanese military aid is limited by a self-imposed ban on lethal equipment exports. But he said Japan and the United States are treading carefully in trilateral talks with the Philippines.

Persons: Read, Fumio, Katsutoshi Kawano, Joe Biden's, Jake Sullivan, Takeo Akiba, Eduardo Ano, Fumio Kishida, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Kishida, Kawano, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Yusuke Ishihara, Tim Kelly, Sakura Murakami, Yukiko Toyoda, Neil Jerome Morales, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S, Marines, Warriors, Philippine Marine Corps, Japanese, Reuters, Washington, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine, Group, Seven, Self - Defence Forces, Staff, Japan's National Institute for Defense Studies, Thomson Locations: Philippine, Japan, South Korea, ”, Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, TOKYO, Indonesia, Taiwan, Ukraine, East Asia, Tokyo, Pacific, China, Japanese, United States, Kyiv, Manila, Yonaguni, Britain, Australia

☆ Philippines, U.S. begin joint troop exercises amid regional tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] General view during the opening ceremony of the annual Philippines-U.S. joint military exercises or Balikatan, at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, April 11, 2023. The expanded annual exercises underscore improved defence ties under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr after his predecessor scaled back drills to pursue closer ties with Beijing. For the first time, the Philippines and the United States will hold live-fire drills at sea during the three-week event known as the 'Balikatan' or 'shoulder-to-shoulder' exercises. China's foreign ministry on Monday criticised the joint exercises, saying they "must not interfere in South China Sea disputes, still less harm China's territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests and security interests." President Marcos is expected to witness the live-fire sea drills which will involve the sinking of an old Philippines navy ship, according to a Philippine military official.

REUTERS/Lisa Marie DavidANTIPOLO, Philippines, April 2 (Reuters) - Thousands of Filipino Catholics attending church on Palm Sunday marked the beginning of Holy Week with prayers for the health of Pope Francis as they presented palm fronds to be blessed. At a church in Antipolo City about 20 km (12.4 miles) east of Manila, hundreds of devotees attended morning mass and waved palm fronds as a sign of discipleship and remembrance of Jesus Christ. Filipino Catholics this year offered prayers for Pope Francis, who was hospitalised on Wednesday after complaining of difficulty breathing. The pope was discharged from hospital on Saturday after successful treatment for a severe bout of bronchitis and attended a Palm Sunday service in St Peter's Square. "We should all continue praying for our Pope Francis this Lenten season.

[1/2] Construction of new buildings alongside older establishments is seen within the business district in Makati City, metro Manila, Philippines January 25, 2017. "We are confident that we will remain in our high growth trajectory," Baliscan told a media briefing on Thursday. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, GDP growth came in at 2.4% in October-December, compared with expectations for a 1.5% rise and the previous quarter's upwardly revised 3.3% expansion. Like the rest of the world, the Philippines is battling red-hot inflation, currently running at 14-year highs, which if not tamed could crimp domestic consumption, a major driver of growth. "We expect a difficult year ahead for the Philippines," Capital Economics said in a note, citing the impact of high inflation and tighter monetary policy on domestic spending.

☆ Philippines main airport scrambles to restore normalcy after power cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A passenger wearing a face mask and face shield for protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) walks towards a counter in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Paranaque, Metro Manila, Philippines, January 14, 2021. The ageing Ninoy Aquino international airport was early on Monday handling a maximum 15 arrivals per hour compared to 20 during normal operations, said Cesar Chiong, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority. The outage was the result of the unprecedented failure of both primary and secondary power supplies, he said. Chiong said the airport had introduced its own power system in 2018 but on Sunday, both the main and backup systems failed. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport has previously been ranked among the world's worst international gateways, with flight delays a regular occurrence, and a history of upgrades being delayed or abandoned due to disputes between the airport and contractors.

☆ Philippines’ inflation soars to 14-year high, fueling expectations of more rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Philippines' annual inflation data for November soared 8% year-on-year, marking the country's highest inflation in 14 years as food prices soar, according to data from the Philippines Statistics Authority. Its surge was driven primarily by costlier food prices. Recent typhoons have hammered the production of crops like vegetables, rice and fruits, driving food prices higher. Core inflation, which excludes volatile energy and food prices, rose by 6.5%. He said the Philippines will be ramping up food production in a bid to ease price pressures.

☆ After another chaotic week on Twitter, some users are nostalgic for the pre-Elon Musk days
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Twitter is not dead — but some of its users are already mourning what the platform was, before Elon Musk's takeover. As the site descends further into chaos, users are getting nostalgic and sharing their favorite memories of "old school Twitter." On Thursday, she asked her followers to share a “happy Twitter memory,” and said the responses affirmed her appreciation for pre-chaos Twitter. “Somebody said, ‘I used to think that queer people were sinning ... and now I don’t because of Twitter,’” Crozier said. There were users who pointed out that Twitter, pre-Musk, had been referred to as a “hellsite“ where users “doomscrolled“ for hours.

☆ Storm Nalgae death toll climbs to 48 in Philippines, 22 missing
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] A mother and a child wade through a flooded road following heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Nalgae, in Las Pinas City, Metro Manila, Philippines, October 30, 2022. REUTERS/Lisa Marie DavidMANILA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - The death toll from flooding and rain-induced landslides in the Philippines has climbed to 48, the country's disaster agency said on Sunday, with 22 others recorded missing after tropical storm Nalgae inundated many parts of the archipelago. Most of the casualties were recorded in the southern autonomous region of Bangsamoro, where 40 died due to landslides, with 10 still missing, the disaster agency said. Nalgae, which made landfall five times, is this year's second-most deadly cyclone to hit the Philippines, which sees an average of 20 tropical storms annually. The Philippine weather bureau said Nalgae was tracking westward and it could re-intensify into a typhoon over the South China Sea while heading toward southern China.

☆ Philippines' main Luzon island braces for Typhoon Noru
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterMANILA, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The Philippines' disaster agency was on high alert on Saturday as an approaching tropical storm intensified into a typhoon which is expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall and severe winds over a swathe of the main Luzon island. Typhoon Noru, with sustained winds of up to 120 km per hour (75 mph), was expected to intensify prior to landfall in Aurora or Quezon province on Sunday, the weather bureau said in its latest advisory. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"The highest emergency preparedness and response protocol has been activated" in several regions, including Metro Manila, the agency said in a statement. The weather bureau said Noru was moving westward and likely to emerge over the South China Sea by late Sunday or early Monday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Enrico Dela Cruz; Editing by Clelia Oziel and Mike HarrisonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Search resuls for: "Metro Manila"

20 mentions found