Author: Press Room

MANILA: The Philippine central bank is taking a cautious approach to policy easing this year to avoid overheating the economy and reigniting inflation, which has been on a downward trend, Governor Eli Remolona told Bloomberg TV on Friday (Apr 11). The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas resumed its easing cycle on Thursday, cutting its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 5.50 per cent and signaling further reductions to come – in “baby steps” – as it seeks to support the economy amid global uncertainties. “We don’t want to overdo it,” Remolona said. “If we overdo it, then we start…

Authorities in the Dominican Republic ended their search for bodies trapped in a nightclub, where a roof collapsed during a Rubby Pérez concert, killing more than 220 people.

The head of the United Automobile Workers union voiced partial support on Thursday for the Trump administration’s tariffs, saying targeted duties on other countries could help bring some manufacturing jobs back to the United States.But the union’s president, Shawn Fain, described President Trump’s across-the-board global tariffs as “reckless.” In an address to U.A.W. members that was streamed on YouTube and other social media, he also strongly criticized the administration for firing federal workers and slashing key government agencies, and accused it of violating the civil rights of students and others.“We support use of some tariffs on automotive manufacturing and similar…

Border patrol agents at the Texas-Mexico border made two interesting finds while searching vehicles last weekend, resulting in the arrests of three people in two separate incidents. A 20-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, both U.S. citizens, were crossing into the United States through the Anzalduas International Bridge when their vehicle was flagged by CBP agents for a second inspection on Sunday. Upon investigation, officials discovered a spider monkey stowed inside a backpack in the vehicle. The two individuals were taken into custody and the monkey was transported to Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. TRUMP PUTTING TROOPS ON BORDER WAS GAME CHANGER, SAN…

A gardening program meant to serve families experiencing food insecurity has been shut down. Known as City Farms, about five acres of land at the Old Man Creek Nursery was used to grow fresh produce for donation to Edmonton’s Food Bank.But the program has been discontinued as part of budget cuts by the City of Edmonton.“We had shed some tears a little bit,” said Tamiscan-Bencz Knight, manager of strategic relationships & partnerships at Edmonton’s Food Bank.“It was a tangible work environment. They were growing food. That was good in and of itself.” Courtesy: Edmonton’s Food Bank. The program started in…

Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest was ordered to sit for a seven-hour deposition as his US legal battle intensifies with hedge fund mogul Paul Tudor Jones II over a soured green energy partnership. 

“They tend to see a Chinese person and say: ‘You are Chinese, you should leave our country’,” said Filipino civic leader Teresita Ang See, an ethnic Chinese born and raised in Manila. CNA speaks to the Chinese Filipino community in Manila to find out about the discrimination they face amid rising bilateral tensions between China and the Philippines.

A school board meeting in Maine’s capital city of Augusta on Wednesday night featured a contentious interaction between a parent in a “MAGA” hat and the school board president over the state’s ongoing controversy over trans athlete inclusion in girls’ sports. Augusta School Board Chair Martha Witham cut off local parent Nick Blanchard while he discussed the controversial issue and a petition he launched to have Cony Middle and High School Principal Kim Liscomb removed from her position, as seen in footage of the meeting.  Liscomb is currently the president of the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA), which supports transgender athletes’ participation in…

The United States and Iran are set for talks on Iran’s nuclear programme in Oman on Saturday.Iran has warned that it could expel UN nuclear watchdog inspectors from the country in response to “external threats” as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States and Iran will hold direct talks in Oman on Saturday to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme. Relations between the two nations have been tense since US President Donald Trump said in February he was re-imposing a “maximum pressure” campaign. On Wednesday, Trump said military action was “absolutely” possible against Iran if talks between Iranian Foreign…

The Trump administration was handed another win on Thursday after a federal judge ruled that everyone in the U.S. illegally must register with the federal government and carry documentation.The Associated Press reported that Judge Trevor Neil McFadden, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, sided with the administration after arguing it was enforcing an existing requirement for everyone in the country who is not a citizen of the U.S.Rather than rule on the substance of the Trump administration’s arguments, McFadden ruled that the group pushing to stop the requirement did not have standing to pursue their claims.McFadden’s ruling will go…