Centuries-old mosque torn down in India
NEW DELHI: Bulldozers have knocked down a centuries-old mosque in India's capital during a demolition drive to remove "illegal" structures from a forest reserve, a member of the building's managing committee said on Thursday. It was torn down on Tuesday in a forest of Mehrauli, an affluent neighborhood dotted with centuries-old ruins from settlements predating modern Delhi. "The rubble from the mosque and the graves has been removed and dumped somewhere else." The demolition took place barely a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a grand new Hindu temple in the northern city of Ayodhya, built on grounds once home to the centuries-old Babri mosque. That mosque was torn down in 1992 in a campaign spearheaded by members of Modi's party, sparking sectarian riots that killed 2,000 people nationwide, most of them Muslims.
Source:Manila Times
February 02, 2024 04:11 UTC
Saudi economy shrinks by 3.7% in Q4
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's economy contracted by 3.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year, reflecting a drop in oil revenue, the government's statistics agency said on Wednesday. Oil firm Saudi Aramco ― of which the government owns 90 percent ― had reported record profits in 2022 following the spike in oil prices spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Taking 2023 as a whole, real or price-adjusted GDP was down 0.9 percent compared to 2022, the statistics authority said on Wednesday. The finance ministry had announced in December it was expecting real GDP growth of just 0.03 percent in 2023 and 4.4 percent this year. The ministry also said it was projecting a budget deficit of 2.0 percent of GDP in 2023 and 1.9 percent of GDP this year, reflecting rising spending and lower oil revenue.
Source:Manila Times
February 01, 2024 16:03 UTC
WATCH: Sara fires off response to DDS hitman over murder allegations
Vice President Sara Duterte, in a video message released on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, answers allegations by self-confessed hitman and Davao Death Squad member Arturo Lascanas that she was involved with the DDS during her time as Davao City mayor. She also challenged Lascanas and those behind him to file murder charges against her. Video from OVP Communications
Source:Manila Times
February 01, 2024 14:51 UTC
Human rights panels urged to hear out Lascañas testimonies vs Dutertes
Human rights panels urged to hear out Lascañas testimonies vs DutertesA relative of a victim of an extra-judicial killing attends a memorial mass ahead of All Soul's Day to remember loved ones slain in the government's war on drugs, at the Commission on Human Rights in Manila on October 29, 2021. MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers heading the human rights committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives should investigate the claims by a self-confessed hitman from the so-called “Davao Death Squad” against the Duterte family, a human rights group said on Thursday. Palabay added that with several whistleblowers like Lascañas coming forward with their revelations, the government’s rights commission and the congressional human rights committees should exercise their mandate in “getting to the bottom” of drug-related killings under Rodrigo Duterte’s terms as Davao City mayor until his presidency. The House Committees on Justice and Human Rights in 2023 adopted a resolution urging the Marcos administration to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its drug war probe. The Philippine National Police reported around 6,000 deaths linked to anti-drug operations, but human rights groups argue that the actual number could be as high as 30,000, with several innocent victims.
Source:Philippine Star
February 01, 2024 13:01 UTC
Lhuillier lauds Alcantara's victory in India
Cebuana Lhuillier Sports ambassador Francis Casey Alcantara continued his amazing start in 2024 by winning another ITF Challenger doubles title in India last week. This time, the 176th ranked doubles player in the world partnered with Christopher Ruangkat, Indonesia's top tennis player, to claim the win. Francis Casey Alcantara (left) and Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) president Jean Henri Lhuillier. He is poised to dislodge his fellow Cebuana Lhuillier Sports ambassador Ruben Gonzales as the country's number one doubles player with the rate he is going. I'm just thankful for all my supporters, especially Jean Henri Lhuillier and Cebuana Lhuillier for always being there for me," said Alcantara.
Source:Manila Times
February 01, 2024 12:32 UTC
Look Through: The future of traditional jeepneys and its drivers
The Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program has left many jeepney drivers and operators uncertain about their livelihood. As the program inches closer to transforming the country’s transportation landscape, the big question remains: what will happen to the traditional Pinoy jeepney once dubbed as ‘hari ng kalsada?’RELATED ARTICLES:
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 01, 2024 12:22 UTC
Facebook, the social network old-timer, turns 20
The more users engaged with the social network the more it could serve up money-making ads targeted using the vast amount of information people shared at Facebook. "I went on Facebook because I knew my mom's friends would be interested," 18-year-old California babysitter Ruby Hammer said of using the social network to make money. Today, more than half of Facebook users are between the ages of 18 and 34 years old, according to online insights company DataReportal. But how engaged users are with the social network remains difficult to gauge. "I go to Facebook very little, but what I post on Instagram automatically appears on Facebook too," said analyst Milanesi.
Source:Philippine Star
February 01, 2024 07:53 UTC
SM 2024-2025 scholarship application opens
SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI) is accepting applications for college scholarships for the Academic Year 2024-2025 from today, February 1, until March 31, 2024. The SM college scholarship program, started by SM founder and philanthropist Henry "Tatang" Sy Sr., has changed the lives of almost 4,000 graduates by giving them the tools they need to develop their careers and break the cycle of poverty that affects their families for generations. The SM college scholarship carries on the vision of the SM Group founder and helps senior high school graduates from both public and private schools. The SM Foundation college scholarship empowers deserving youth across the Philippines. "I encourage you to view the scholarship application as a reflection of your dedication, capability and discipline in your studies.
Source:Manila Times
February 01, 2024 05:35 UTC
How AI is transforming business models
Tech-savvy companies are leveraging AI to develop new ecosystems and business models that spur innovation and growth. Furthermore, AI is redefining the health care industry, giving rise to new business models centered around precision medicine. The retail sector, too, is witnessing a transformation in business models fueled by AI. The success of cashier-less stores exemplifies how AI can revolutionize traditional business models by introducing unprecedented levels of automation and convenience. In conclusion, the integration of AI into business models is not merely a technological advancement; it is a fundamental shift that is reshaping industries across the board.
Source:Manila Times
January 31, 2024 23:05 UTC
Asia to keep fueling global growth – IMF
THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its forecast for Asia's growth to 4.5 percent from 4.2 percent, with the region also expected to contribute two-thirds to global economic expansion. "Global growth has proven surprisingly resilient and inflation continues to decline steadily. For the Philippines, IMF Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Director Akihiko Yoshida reiterated that growth likely bottomed out last year and rebound to 6.0 percent in 2024. These include high inflation that could lead to further monetary tightening, a slowdown in global economic growth, increased geoeconomic fragmentation, a broadening array of global risks and more restrictive global financial conditions. Srinivasan said that average inflation in Asia fell from 3.8 percent in 2022 to 2.6 percent last year, particularly improving in emerging economies.
Source:Manila Times
January 31, 2024 23:05 UTC
Senate hearings on economic Cha-cha to start next week
Senate hearings on economic Cha-cha to start next weekMANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said that the Senate will begin deliberating its proposal to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution next week amid heightened political tensions that seemed to have sprung from differing views on how to change the Charter. “Next week, hearings for RBH 6 will start. … We want to lower the political temperatures in this country,” Zubiri said. Zubiri filed last January 15 the RBH 6, which limits Charter amendments to relaxing the foreign ownership restrictions in public utilities, advertising and educational institutions. This resolution was seen as a move by the Senate to prevent attempts to insert political amendments, including controversial term extension limits that seek to lengthen officials’ hold on power.
Source:Philippine Star
January 31, 2024 20:25 UTC
Philippines posts 5.6% GDP growth in 2023, misses gov't target
Philippines posts 5.6% GDP growth in 2023, misses gov't targetMANILA, Philippines — The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5.6% in 2023, falling short of the government target of 6 to 7%, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday. The most recent economic print indicated that the GDP growth for 2023 was beneath the 7.6% recorded in the year 2022. In a press conference, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said that for the fourth quarter of 2023, GDP growth was at 5.6%, slower than the 7.1% that was recorded in the same quarter the previous year. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the country’s GDP growth weakened to 2.1% in the fourth quarter from the 3.3% posted in the third quarter. The Development Budget Coordination Committee on Dec. 15, 2023, revised its GDP growth target for 2024 to a range of 6.5% to 7.5%, down from the earlier estimate of 6.5% to 8% expansion.
Source:Philippine Star
January 31, 2024 20:21 UTC
Comparing airlines
Thus, I can write an anecdotal, non-PR piece about the airlines I took, comparing their services, food and the smiles (or lack of it) of their crew. In 2017, I took a Malaysian Airlines plane to bring me to Kuala Lumpur for my job. When I was in Malaysia (2017), I took a Vietnam Airlines flight to Hanoi for an international conference. In 2007, I took a similar Vietnam Airlines flight from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi for an international teachers' conference. Last year, I took a Saudia Airlines plane from Manila to New York.
Source:Manila Times
January 31, 2024 18:08 UTC
Growth results boost peso, stock market
THE peso and the stock market rose on Wednesday following the release of Philippine growth data, which, while lower than targeted, was seen to have signaled continued economic strength. The peso strengthened by 12.6 centavos to P56.275 against the dollar, while the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 24.43 points, or 0.37 percent, to 6,646.44. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said that the country's growth outlook and likely lower inflation in January had lifted the peso. Managing Director Juan Paolo Colet, meanwhile, said last year's 5.6-percent growth — below the targeted 6.0-7.0 percent — still "signaled that the economy remains strong." Managing Director Luis Limlingan echoed this, saying local shares rose as Philippine growth was "ahead of the latest Bloomberg consensus of 5.2 percent."
Source:Manila Times
January 31, 2024 16:51 UTC
DA: Palay production hit 20.06 million MT in 2023
DA: Palay production hit 20.06 million MT in 2023A farmer dries rice grains at a road in Baliuag, Bulacan on October 9, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Palay production hit a record high of 20.06 million metric tons in 2023, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that palay output was 1.5 percent higher than the 19.76 million MT recorded in 2022. Rice imports declined to 3.5 million MT in 2023 from 3.8 million MT in 2022. The Philippines has a total rice consumption of 13.5 million MT annually, plus 1.85 million MT for a 50-day buffer.
Source:Philippine Star
January 31, 2024 10:29 UTC