Category: General

BACOLOD CITY: A 64-year-old combatant of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed during an encounter with troops of the Philippine Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Basak, Cauayan, Negros Occidental on Monday. The 3rd Infantry Division (ID) said in a report on Wednesday that Ramon Moico Enseniales, with aliases Art and Bugtong, was considered a remnant of the dismantled South West Front (SWF). He was killed during a two-minute encounter between the soldiers and about five NPA rebels Monday noon, according to Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of the 3ID. He said the collaboration between the 15IB troops

MANILA: The European Union (EU) has released EUR1.2 million or PHP76 million in humanitarian aid for victims of the floods that hit Mindanao over the past month. In a statement dated July 30, the EU Delegation in Manila said the funding would help address the most pressing needs of people on the island, the hardest hit following several days of heavy rain caused by the southwest monsoon and the intertropical convergence zone. ‘The beginning of this year’s monsoon and typhoon season is proving very hard for people in the Philippines, and the EU is stepping up its assistance to the

KUALA LUMPUR,, The ringgit opened firmer against the US dollar, hitting the RM4.61 level for a fresh seven-month high, and economists anticipate a further strengthening as investors await the outcome of the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) two-day meeting later today. At 8.01 am, the ringgit rose to 4.6180/6235 against the greenback from Tuesday’s close of 4.6330/6400. A boost in global market sentiment and strong domestic economic prospects have bolstered the local currency. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the decline in US Treasury yields, which fell four basis points, indicated that more investors

KUALA LUMPUR,, The ringgit opened firmer against the US dollar, hitting the RM4.61 level for a fresh seven-month high, and economists anticipate a further strengthening as investors await the outcome of the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) two-day meeting later today. At 8.01 am, the ringgit rose to 4.6180/6235 against the greenback from Tuesday’s close of 4.6330/6400. A boost in global market sentiment and strong domestic economic prospects have bolstered the local currency. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the decline in US Treasury yields, which fell four basis points, indicated that more investors

MANILA: Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa on Wednesday said there is no bird flu outbreak in Tarlac. ‘Good news, negative po lahat ng samples (all of the samples are negative) from Tarlac,’ de Mesa said in a Viber message, dispelling fears of consumers and industry players of a bird flu outbreak. He said this is based on the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)’s confirmatory tests following a supposed ‘bird flu outbreak’ in the province. Three farms from Tarlac have submitted blood samples to BAI, and tests showed samples weren’t infected by the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). In a