Rape victim’s about-face raises furore in Philippines

MANILA - When Suzette ‘Nicole’ Nicolas accused a US soldier of raping her after they met in a bar at a former American naval base in the Philippines in November 2005, Filipinos from all walks of life rallied behind her.

Driving lesson nearly causes air disaster in Philippines

MANILA - A Philippine man nearly caused a disaster in an eastern city when he used an airport runway to teach his girlfriend to drive just as a passenger plane was about to land, an official said Tuesday.

Philippines wants Davis Cup tie to be moved to Manila from Pakistan

MANILA - The Philippine Lawn Tennis Association has asked Davis Cup organizers to move the July regional playoff against Pakistan from Lahore to Manila due to fears of its players being attacked.

Indian family of three killed in Philippines

MANILA - An Indian couple and their nine-year-old daughter were killed by unidentified gunmen inside their rented home in an eastern Philippine province, a police report said Thursday.

Ride Manila metro to read Spanish poetry

MANILA - The passengers on the bustling Manila metro can now read the verses of Pablo Neruda, Luis Cernuda, Lope de Vega and San Juan de la Cruz while travelling, thanks to a campaign to promote reading.

Eight rebels killed in Philippine military air strike

MANILA - Security forces in the Philippines Monday launched an air strike against armed rebels on a restive southern island, killing at least eight guerrillas, a military official said.

Philippines to kill 6000 ebola-infected pigs

MANILA - The Philippines’ Agriculture Department ordered the extermination of about 6,000 pigs afflicted with the ebola Reston virus as health officials said Tuesday that a sixth infected person was found.

ILO warns rising unemployment to push millions into poverty

MANILA - More than 140 million people in Asia could be pushed into extreme poverty in 2009 as unemployment surges due to the global economic slowdown, an International Labour Organization (ILO) report warned Wednesday.

Philippines arrests militants linked to 2002 Bali blasts

MANILA - The Philippines security forces have arrested two militants with alleged links to a pair of Indonesians wanted in the 2002 Bali bombings, an official said Thursday.

India shows resilience amid economic downturn: ADB

MANILA - India has shown resilience amid the global economic downturn, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Saturday.

ADB raises $1 bn for 3 year global bond

MANILA - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Tuesday said it had raised $1 billion for the three-year global benchmark bond issue to return to the US dollar bond market.

Kidnappers demand $5 mn for kidnapped Red Cross staff

MANILA - Islamist militants holding captive three staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are planning to demand at least $5 million in ransom for their hostages’ freedom, military sources said Sunday.

Poor women in Philippines yearn for birth control

MANILA - Struggling with a daily food budget of less than $2 for a family of 12, Floriza Bacli said she was happy to spoil her children a bit on New Year’s Eve with something special - half a kilogram of fried chicken and a quarter kg of hot-dogs.

Grenade blast wounds 25 revellers in Philippines

MANILA - Twenty-five people were wounded when a hand grenade exploded at a New Year party in a southern Philippine city, a regional police chief said Thursday.

Philippine police foil bomb attack on passenger bus

MANILA - Police in the Philippines Wednesday defused two homemade bombs found inside a passenger bus in the country’s troubled south, officials said.

Strong earthquake jolts southern Philippines

MANILA - A magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolted the southern Philippine region of Mindanao Thursday, the United States Geological Service (USGS) said.

One dead in attack on UN relief truck in southern Philippines

MANILA - Unidentified gunmen fired at a United Nations truck carrying rice to evacuees in southern Philippines, killing one Filipino worker, a UN representative said Tuesday.