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Economic risks 'less pronounced' as trade tensions ease

Business

Frankfurt am Main, Germany | European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said risks to the eurozone economy had become "less pronounced" in the wake of a US-China trade truce even as President Donald Trump reignited a trade spat with Europe.

Speaking to reporters after chairing her second meeting as president, Lagarde said the bank's ultra-easy money policies remained necessary in the face of stubbornly low inflation and slow growth.

But she hinted that the ECB was more optimistic about the euro area outlook following the partial US-China trade deal struck after two years of tensions that roiled the global economy.

"Risks related to geopolitical factors, rising protectionism and vulnerabilities in emerging markets remain tilted to the downside, but have become less pronounced as some of the uncertainty surrounding international trade is receding," Lagarde told reporters in Frankfurt.

She said the US-China deal had reduced uncertainty but would also have knock-on effects on other countries, creating winners and losers.

The ECB would now "very carefully" study the impact of the deal, she said.

But Trump already appeared to be gearing up for his next trade battle, after saying in Davos on Wednesday that the European Union was next in his line of sights.

"The European Union is tougher to deal with than anybody. They've taken advantage of our country for many years," Trump told Fox Business Network.

He also threatened to impose crippling tariffs on EU-built cars unless the EU budges on a transatlantic trade deal.

Asked about the flare-up in tensions, Lagarde said she took "some comfort" from the upbeat sounds that followed Trump's meeting with European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen in Davos.

"While we all know that the results of those meetings are preliminary, the tone and the determination on both sides to draw positive conclusions from that meeting...I think is to be taken as a positive signal."

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Greta Thunberg patents own name and 'Fridays for Future'

Good Health

Stockholm, Sweden |Teen eco warrior Greta Thunberg said she has registered both her own name and her "Fridays For Future" global protest movement as trademarks in order to prevent them from being hijacked for fraudulent purposes.

"My name and the #FridaysForFuture movement are constantly being used for commercial purposes without any consent whatsoever," the 17-year-old Swede wrote on her Instagram account.

"I assure you, I and the other school strikers have absolutely no interests in trademarks. But unfortunately it needs to be done."

She complained that "there are still people who are trying to impersonate me or falsely claim that they 'represent' me in order to communicate with high profile people, politicians, media, artists etc."

There had also been instances of marketing, product selling and people collecting money "in my and the movement's name," she wrote.

"That is why I've applied to register my name, Fridays For Future,... as trademarks. This action is to protect the movement and its activities."

Thunberg, whose protests have attracted millions of young people across the globe, also said she was setting up a non-profit making foundation to handle the financial side of "Fridays for Future", such as book royalties, donations and prize money.

She insisted that the foundation would be "completely transparent," for example, with regard to the taxes it has to pay.

"The foundation's aim will be to promote ecological, climatic and social sustainability, as well as mental health," the campaigner wrote.

Thunberg's climate struggle began quietly in August 2018 when she skipped school for the first three weeks, and then on Fridays to spend the day outside Sweden's parliament with a sign labelled "School strike for climate".

Since then, she has become the face behind the global protest movement, particularly for young people.

Thunberg has also come under ferocious attack from climate changes deniers, who accuse her of being manipulated by a "green lobby".

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Time to cross Palawan off your 2020 travel bucket list

Travel

Book a luxurious, sustainable getaway at Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa

This 2020, we welcome another year and a new decade! What better way to start a fresh page in your life than working on fulfilling your goals, whether it’s an item from last year’s bucket list you haven’t crossed off yet or a set of new plans in your 2020 to-do notes. For many, traveling to places and visiting their dream destinations are usually on top of their must-achieve checklist—and high on that list is the beautiful Palawan.

Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa lets you achieve your dream trip to the world-renowned island with its year-round accommodation offers and packages. Plus, you can enjoy Palawan’s breathtaking sceneries with a luxurious vacation experience, complete with lavish accommodation, exciting activities, and sumptuous food.

Pristine haven

Known to be one of the most beautiful destinations here in the Philippines, Palawan is a scenic island that offers various unique attractions—and it’s quite a feat to experience it for the first time.

For a perfect stay at the must-visit travel destination, Princesa Garden Island offers its sprawling four-hectare property for a comfortable accommodation that is only 10 to 15 minutes away from the city airport. The resort greets you with its captivating coconut-shaded gardens with a glimpse of the island's beauty.

The resort utilizes organic and recycled materials—including corals, rocks, and bamboo, as well as the Palaweno wood carvings—in its many facilities, giving the resort a uniquely local atmosphere. Focused on sustainability, Princesa Garden Island highlights environmentally-friendly solutions such as having its own water treatment and desalination facility, as well as the use of solar panels for sustainable electricity. Even the 1,640-square meter pool in the Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa is chlorine-free and uses nothing but natural sea salt water.

Extravagant accommodation

As you explore the island and its enjoyments, Princesa Garden Island also opens the doors of its various amenities and accommodations for you to relax.

The resort features a wide array of spacious rooms and villa options—the Signature, Pool, and Luxury Collection—spanning from 45 to 120 square meters. Each room pampers the guests with modern Filipino decor, free Wi-Fi, a 40-inch television, and 12-inch rain showers as well as the most comfortable beds and pillows. Meanwhile, suites and family rooms have either a jacuzzi or direct access to pool where they can enjoy the best views while lounging on the sunbeds.

For the ultimate luxury stay, the Water Villa rooms presents you the most opulent experience. These bungalows levitate above the water, providing a flawless 180-degree view of the ocean horizon through its wall-to-ceiling glass. The villa includes a wooden deck with daybeds, comfortable hammocks, and an outdoor Jacuzzi.

Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa also takes pride in its Hari Ballroom, which is perfect for big special occasions given its 600-seat capacity. Its Reyna Function Hall features state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and can accommodate a maximum of 200 people. The Hari/Reyna room is one of the five Philippine winners to receive the ASEAN MICE Venue Award (Meeting Room Category) 2020-2022 for providing quality MICE facilities and services. The resort also has a chapel which is perfect for weddings, or simply for guests looking for peace and spirituality during their vacation.

Sumptuous dining

When it comes to food options, you can enjoy world-class dining in the various restaurants at the Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa.

If you are craving for Filipino and international cuisine, visit the open-theater kitchen of Rice, the resort’s all day dining cafe. Meanwhile, lovers of Italian cuisine can dine at Tomato and Basil Cuicina Italiana, an al fresco specialty restaurant where wood-fired baked pizza and other Italian dishes are served with a glass of Italian wine. The Sala Lobby Lounge, on the other hand, warms you up with a cozy ambiance, cocktail bites, and soothing music that fills the main reception building.

Best times at Palawan

To make your travel to Palawan more memorable, best engage in the various activities that the island has to offer.

For nature lovers, a majestic getaway awaits. Marvel at the unique natural wonders such as the saltwater pool, sunny sandbar, and leafy mangrove forest available only in Palawan. Meanwhile, the adventure-seeking peeps can ask Princesa Garden Island’s tour desk for assistance on trying out activities offered outside the resort such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and island hopping.

Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa also offers in-resort activities. You can go on active jogs, walks, bikes, and even stop by the resort’s gym in the morning. The group can also bond over non-motorized water sports, hang out in the entertainment center, or have a fun game of jumbo chess.

Cap the adventure-filled day by stopping by the Hilot Spa, which promises a blissful retreat to soothe the mind and body. Housed in a modern minimalist casita that exudes rustic simplicity, this wellness haven provides pampering like no other. It has eight rooms that feature its own shower and pocket garden, and a couple of rooms with jacuzzi. Plus, all treatments at the resort and spa include the use of jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room. Hilot Spa also provides in-room service for guests who do not want to leave the comforts of their room.

All-in vacation packages

Princesa Garden Island ensures that your first time visit to Palawan is one for the books thanks to its satisfactory trip itinerary that includes their beautiful scenery, luxurious accommodations, fun activities, and wide range of food selections.

The resort also offers hassle-free trip planning through its online booking system. With just a few clicks, you can book everything seamlessly, from accommodation to food to activities. Once you're in the resort, Princesa Garden Island staff personally goes over your trip details to make sure you get the best service during your stay.

Get to know more about Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa, located in Puerto Princesa, City, Palawan. You may log on to https://www.princesagardenisland.com/ or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can call or text (+63)917-873-9574 or (+63)918-967-5132 for inquiries.

'I am here': Holocaust survivors mark Auschwitz liberation

The World

Jerusalem-

Their faces lined by age and haunting memories, about 100 Holocaust survivors joined political leaders in Jerusalem to recall the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp 75 years ago.

While many of the dignitaries at the sombre ceremony were born after World War II, with no personal memories of Nazi Germany's industrial-scale murder of Jews, for 81-year-old Yona Amit, the event was deeply personal.

Just five years old when she and her family escaped Nazi-occupied Italy for Switzerland, she spoke of her remarkable survival, accompanied by her granddaughter at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial centre.

Amit said her family was forced to flee her home by horse and cart, spending much of the war in hiding.

"We couldn't travel as Jews, because they collected the Jews and they took them straight to Auschwitz," she told AFP.

The escape through the Alps was horrifying, she said: "It wasn't easy, it was the most terrible thing -- the Germans, with their Alsatian dogs looking for us."

She remembers one day playing with her cousin, and exchanging shoes, before they were separated and her young relative was betrayed to the Nazis by smugglers.

"They were straight away sent to Auschwitz. And of course my cousin with my shoes: straight away up in the chimneys.

"My shoes are in that big mound of shoes in Auschwitz ... I am here."

- 'People who helped' -

More than a million people -- most of them Jews, but also ethnic minority members, communists, homosexuals and others -- were killed at the extermination camp in Nazi-occupied Poland.

Amit finally reached Israel in 1949, going on later in life to also teach Hebrew in South Africa and Australia.

On Thursday she was at Yad Vashem, along with hundreds of journalists and other survivors there to listen to speeches by leaders such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Amit said the event was an opportunity to remember those who took grave risks to save European Jews.

"So many priests, and so many monasteries, endangered their lives to save Jews," she said.

"I think this is the most important message of this war. Not the horrible things that were done -- we all know about them -- but the simple people who helped."

- 'Plague of anti-Semitism' -

Yad Vashem chairman Avner Shalev, who had a fall days before the event, reached the stage on crutches, joking that breaking a leg was good luck ahead of such an occasion.

He and Moshe Kantor, founder of the World Holocaust Forum which organised the event, both spoke about the importance of continuing the fight against anti-Semitism.

But Fanny Ben Ami, whose parents were killed in Nazi extermination camps, told AFP she feared that anti-Semitism will not be eradicated.

"I think that the leaders of the whole world have come, above all, to affirm that anti-Semitism is a plague, but ... nothing changes," said the 89-year-old.

Ben Ami joined the French resistance at the age of 12, helping children flee to Switzerland, and emigrated to Israel in 1957.

Auschwitz survivor Nahum Rottenberg also voiced doubt about what could be achieved at the memorial, dubbed the most important event Israel has ever hosted.

The frail 92-year-old talked with tears in his eyes about his family who died at Auschwitz.

"I fight against anti-Semitism each time I tell my story," he said.

He voiced dismay at present-day wars raging unabated, including in the Middle East.

"Today we kill in Syria and elsewhere," he said. "The world keeps quiet. I don't think that things will really change."

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After China, Trump trade wrath likely to find new targets

Business

Paris, France |

Governments across the world breathed a collective sigh of relief when the US on Wednesday signed a partial trade deal with China, but analysts predict that the pact frees President Donald Trump up for new trade war fronts, notably with the EU and emerging economies.

"This deal may cause short-term relief, but it's just a stage," said Sylvain Broyer, European chief economist at Standard and Poor's, calling it "the tip of the iceberg" of global trade tensions.

"Trade tensions could move on, and Europe could find itself at the centre of the debate," he said.

EU officials remember only too well the tariffs the World Trade Organization (WTO) allowed Washington to slap on European products in retaliation for rule-breaking subsidies paid to the Airbus aircraft maker.

Another reminder of Trump's willingness to weaponise trade came Thursday when Germany's defence minister confirmed a report that the US was threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on EU car exports if European governments continued to back the Iran nuclear deal.

- Stuck in the middle? -

"The question is now how the US behaves towards towards Europe," said Johan Bjerkem, an analyst at the European Policy Centre in Brussels.

The trade deal between China and the United States is "a good thing", said Evelyn Herrmann, director at BofA Research, "but there are plenty of other things going on that we can't ignore".

A visit to Washington by EU trade chief Phil Hogan just as the US and China signed their truce could be seen as an early attempt to head off any coming transatlantic tensions, analysts said.

"Everyone is pleased that we've emerged from a logic of escalation, but we don't yet know what the impact will be," one EU source said. "After the (US-China) deal we must make sure that the EU does not find itself stuck in the middle."

The most likely trigger for any future trade moves against the EU is a tax on the revenues of internet giants decided last year by France, that the Trump administration sees as discriminatory, analysts said.

"If the US administration decides to take trade measures against France, and therefore against the EU, this would turn into an international question," said one French finance ministry source.

"The EU would defend its rights in a determined and proportionate way against American measures that would be illegal in the eyes of the WTO."

- The price of peace -

There is every chance that emerging economies could get caught up in new international trade tensions, said Gareth Leather at Capital Economics.

"Last year, President Trump called Vietnam 'almost the single worst abuser of everybody' and threatened tariffs unless more was done to reduce its bilateral trade deficit," Leather said.

Thailand was also drawing Washington's unwanted attention, he said, and is in danger of being labelled a "currency manipulator" to be punished with trade measures, just like China was previously, he said.

Emerging countries must now also fear the consequences of a Chinese commitment to buy $200 billion worth of additional US products over the next two years, as Beijing is now likely to cancel farm contracts with countries like Brazil and buy American instead.

"The deal could have negative trade consequences for Brazilian farm product exports to China," said Pedro da Motta, head of the Cindes think tank, singling out soy beans. "The same sectors that benefitted from the trade war may be the ones paying the price for peace," he told AFP.

Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings, cautioned that implementation of the deal and its impact on the rest of the world were still uncertain.

"Its full impact will depend on how the deal is implemented, including whether China can meet its commitment to dramatically increase imports from the US, as well as possible trade diversion effects on other exporting economies," Coulton said.

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EU announces strict 5G rules, but no Huawei ban

Innovations

Brussels, Belgium | EU countries could ban telecoms operators deemed a security risk from critical parts of 5G infrastructure under guidelines issued Wednesday, amid US pressure to shut out Chinese giant Huawei.

The EU plan, which closely mirrors rules set out Tuesday by Britain allowing a limited role for Huawei, stops short of barring the company from the next-generation communications network designed for near-instantaneous data transfers.

It leaves member states with the responsibility to ensure the safe rollout of 5G and warns them to screen operators carefully, saying security of the network will be critically important for the entire EU.

The so-called "toolbox" outlined by the European Commission avoids naming Huawei and does not call for an outright ban on any supplier.

But it urges countries to "assess the risk profile of suppliers (and)... apply relevant restrictions for suppliers considered to be high risk" accordingly, including shutting them out of "key assets defined as critical and sensitive".

It also recommends EU states avoid "major dependency on a single supplier" and "dependency on suppliers considered to be high risk".

The guidelines are the fruit of months of agonising within the EU, which has struggled to find a middle way to balance Huawei's dominance in the 5G sector with the security concerns pressed by Washington.

Any bans on Huawei will now ultimately be up to individual member states, but the commission's middle road recommendations give cover to European capitals to resist pleas from Washington.

Huawei welcomed the guidelines, saying they would allow it to continue playing a role in Europe's 5G rollout.

"This non-biased and fact-based approach towards 5G security allows Europe to have a more secure and faster 5G network," the company said in a statement.

"Huawei has been present in Europe for almost 20 years and has a proven track record with regard to security. We will continue to work with European governments and industry to develop common standards to strengthen the security and reliability of the network."

Thierry Breton, the EU commissioner for the single market, said the bloc would not target any company, stressing that the new system was based on "objective criteria".

"We in Europe accept everyone but we have rules -- these rules are clear and exacting," he told reporters.

- 'No safe option' -

London's announcement on Tuesday of a limited role for Huawei infuriated Washington, which says the company cannot be trusted with such important infrastructure because it is too close to the Beijing government.

Britain, like the EU, plans to exclude risky operators from "sensitive" locations such as nuclear sites and military bases, but US officials insist there was "no safe option" for Huawei to control any part of the network.

The US has said the possibility of China using its commercial presence to spy on Britain -- or even shut down the network -- could force Washington to stop sharing intelligence with London.

"Our view of Huawei is putting it in your system creates real risk. This is an extension of the Chinese Communist Party with a legal requirement to hand over information to the Chinese Community Party," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday during a visit to London.

"We'll evaluate what the United Kingdom did.... But our view is we should have Western systems with Western rules and American information should only pass across a trusted network. We'll make sure we do that."

Huawei is widely viewed as providing the most advanced alternative for super-fast data transfers behind technologies such as self-driving cars and remotely operated factory robots.

Along with European telecom companies Nokia and Ericsson, it is one of the few suppliers capable of building 5G networks.

The commission warned that 5G will offer "more potential entry points" for cyber attacks -- a growing threat as more and more critical services such as hospitals and power grids depend on data networks.

"5G will be a ground-breaking technology but it cannot come at the expense of the security of our internal market," commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas said in a statement.

"The toolbox is an important step in what must be a continuous effort in the EU's collective work to better protect our critical infrastructures."

Doubts about Huawei come amid a more general anxiety about Beijing's growing presence in the EU, where a growing number of countries in the east are opening the door to Chinese investment in infrastructure.

With the job of vetting prospective 5G suppliers left to member states, there will be questions about whether all have the capacity or political willingness to carry out the job thoroughly, particularly if it might involve embarrassing a major partner such as China.

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French mountaineering military forces train around Chamonix

Travel

Egypt village turns a profit on used tyres

Travel

Mit El Harun, Egypt | Residents of the Egyptian village of Mit al-Harun have for decades eked out a living by recycling old tyres into baskets, landscaping materials and alternative fuels.

From early morning, workers covered in soot and dust can be seen sharpening their knives to cut huge tyres stockpiled on the village's roadsides.

"The entire village works on recycling damaged tyres," said 35-year-old Abdelwahab Mohamed outside of his workshop.

"We inherited it from our fathers and grandfathers."

The small Nile Delta village, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of Cairo, has gained a reputation as Egypt's top rubber recycling hub.

Dealers collect used tyres from across the country, delivering them to Mit al-Harun in huge trucks.

Mohamed said prices per tyre go up to around 70 Egyptian pounds (four dollars).

"We cut the tyres here and pull out material including wire rings, which are collected by steel and iron factories to be recycled," he said.

"Tyre rubber is often chopped into small pieces to be used by cement factories as an energy source" -- an alternative to low-grade mazut fuel oil.

Other parts are recycled into mulch for playgrounds, he added.

Mohamed said his work has grown unstable over the years, especially since the 2011 uprising that unseated longtime dictator Hosni Mubara and triggered years of political and economic turmoil.

"There are days with plenty of work and others with little to none," he said.

At another workshop, 43-year-old Mostafa Azab fashions baskets out of tyres from trucks, tractors and industrial vehicles.

"We cut the tyre in half, then we split its inner layers using a winch, before shaping them into baskets and hammering nails around the edges to make them hold," said Azab.

The heavy-duty baskets are often used by farmers, gardeners and labourers, he said.

Azab's workshop, with a handful of workers, processes up to 10 tyres per day, producing between 80-120 baskets.

Azab's brother, Haitham, said the job was "exhausting".

"It requires physical strength to carry around the heavy tyres," he said.

"If we had the option of a more stable occupation, we would have quit this one. But this is our only source of income."

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Michelin strips star from French culinary beacon Bocuse

Travel

Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, France | Two years after the death of renowned French chef Paul Bocuse, the Michelin Guide has stripped his flagship restaurant of the coveted three-star ranking it held for half a century, prompting anger and dismay from his culinary peers.

The Auberge du Pont de Collonges, near food-obsessed Lyon in southeast France, was the oldest three-starred restaurant in the world, having held the accolade since 1965.

The Michelin Guide told AFP on Friday that the establishment "remained excellent but no longer at the level of three stars" and will have only two in the 2020 edition of the famous red book dubbed the "bible" of French cuisine.

"Michelin stars have to be earned, not inherited," Michelin Guide boss Gwendal Poullennec told RTL broadcaster.

Bocuse's family and restaurant team said they were "upset" by the decision, and celebrity chef Marc Veyrat, who recently sued the Michelin Guide over a lost third star, described the move as "pathetic".

The chef's son Jerome Bocuse told RTL it was a "heavy blow" the consequences of which would be "difficult to measure".

Even President Emmanuel Macron weighed in, telling RTL: "I want to spare a thought for what his family represents, for all those he trained, and that cannot take away from the unique role of Paul Bocuse in French gastronomy."

The Bocuse d'Or organisation, which manages the annual cooking competition he created, also greeted the announcement with "sadness" and expressed its "unwavering support" for the restaurant.

"Monsieur Paul", as Bocuse was known, died aged 91 on January 20, 2018, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Nicknamed the "pope" of French cuisine, he was one of the country's most celebrated chefs, helping shake up the food world in the 1970s with the lighter fare of the Nouvelle Cuisine revolution, and introduce the notion of culinary celebrity.

- 'I love butter, cream, wine' -

Even before Bocuse's death, some critics had commented that the restaurant was no longer quite up to scratch.

But Michelin's decision, a year after controversially stripping Veyrat of his third star, immediately stirred discontent.

Food critic Perico Legasse told BFM news channel the guide had committed an "irreparable" error in what he called its quest to create media hype.

Veyrat said he had "lost faith" in a new generation of Michelin editors he accuses of trying to make a name for themselves by taking down the giants of French cuisine.

"I am sad for the team that took up the torch at Collonges," tweeted three-starred chef Georges Blanc, while Lyon Mayor Gerard Collomb spoke of his "immense disappointment".

Two other Lyon restaurants each lost a Michelin star in 2019.

The setback for the Auberge du Pont de Collonges comes despite efforts to modernise its look and menu, pursuing a philosophy management describes as "tradition in motion".

"The chefs have reworked the dishes. They have been refining them for more than a year, evolving them while retaining their original DNA and taste," manager Vincent Le Roux recently told a regional newspaper.

The restaurant is scheduled to reopen on January 24 after three weeks of renovations.

Bocuse was himself a devotee of traditional cuisine. "I love butter, cream, wine" he once said, "not peas cut into quarters".

- Three-star pressure -

Gastronomy publication Atabula was a lone voice in supporting the Michelin move, which it described as a much-needed "revolution" in an industry held back by decades of inertia.

According to Michelin, restaurants are selected on four criteria: the quality of the products, the expertise of the chef, the originality of the dishes and consistency throughout the meal and across seasons.

But critics say the process has rendered Michelin stars untenable as more and more diners baulk at spending a fortune on a meal.

A handful of French restaurateurs have in recent years relinquished their prized three-star status because of the stress of being judged by Michelin inspectors.

The 2003 suicide of three-star chef Bernard Loiseau was linked, among other reasons, to speculation that his restaurant was about to lose its three-star status.

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French lab creates 3D reproduction of 18th century flute

Innovations

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The Foreign Post is the newspaper of the International Community in the Philippines, published for foreign residents, Internationally-oriented Filipinos, and visitors to the country. It is written and edited to inform, to entertain, occasionally to educate, to provide a forum for international thinkers.