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Philippine para-chessers eye big moves in 11th ASEAN Para Games

MEMBERS of the national para volleyball team join Team Philippines’ Chef de Mission Walter Torres (fifth from left) and Deputy CDM Tricia Rana (sixth from left) in posing in front of the national colors of the 11 participating teams of the 11th ASEAN Para Games after flag-raising ceremonies held at the Manahan Stadium last Wednesday.

SURAKARTA, Indonesia — Filipino para-chessers are keen on surpassing their performances in the 2017 10th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia when the chess competition begins on Sunday at the Lor-in Hotel.

“Definitely, we want to surpass what our athletes did in Malaysia five years ago,” said national head coach James Infiesto on Thursday, referring to the four golds, three silvers, and six bronze medals the country won on the way to placing third overall in the regional sports showpiece in the Malaysian capital.

Mr. Infiesto revealed that the Indonesian hosts have added 12 more events, boosting to 36 golds that will be up for grabs in the sport of the 11th ASEAN Para Games.

“This is why we tried to fill up all of the categories with players since there will be 12 more golds available in this competition,” he noted of the trip supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Anchoring the squad are the powerhouse trio of FIDE Master Sander Severino, Jasper Rom, and Henry Roger Lopez, who swept the men’s team standard and rapid events in the 2018 Asian Para Games held in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. Highlighting that sterling display was the 1-2-3 finish of Messrs. Severino, Lopez, and Rom in the men’s individual rapid event.

“We completed a grand slam of gold, silver, and bronze in the individual rapid event so this is why Indonesia is really preparing hard to get back at us,” Mr. Infiesto said, adding that he has players who could pull up some surprises once the chess competition gets underway.

“Unlike in the Asian Para Games where we dominated two events, we are aiming to be dominant in others as well,” said the coach, who declined to name the chessers he was expecting to deliver in the other events.

While the team buildup was held online at the start, Mr. Infiesto said they began their bubble face-to-face training funded by the PSC in early July at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.

The other members of the men’s squad are Felix Aguillera, Anthony Abogado, Cecilio Bilog, Francis Ching, Darry Bernardo, Israel Peligro, Menando Redor, Rodolfo Sarmiento and Arman Subaste.

The women’s squad is composed of Cheryl Angot, Maria Teresa Bilog, Charmaine Tonic, Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza, Evangeline Gamao, Corazon Lucero, Ma. Katrina Mangawang, Fe Mangayayam, Jean-Lee Nacita and Elena Peligro.

Flag-bearer Guion gets two-day break after opening

PHILIPPINE powerlifting squad led by flag-bearer Achelle “Jinky” Guion (right) and 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games bronze medalist Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta (fifth from left) pose with PSC staff led by NSA Affairs chief Annie Ruiz (sixth from left) during a break in training in the 11th ASEAN Para Games.

SURAKARTA, Indonesia — Flag-bearer Achelle “Jinky” Guion got a timely break when her event in the women’s powerlifting competition was reset to two days after the formal opening of the 11th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games on Saturday at the Manahan Stadium.

“Malaking tuwa ko po nang malaman ko na na-reset ‘yung dates. At least, may isang araw pa akong pahinga bago maglaro,” said Ms. Guion after learning of the welcome news last Wednesday that the start of the powerlifting tournament at the Paragon Hotel was moved to Aug. 1.

In the original schedule, the 51-year-old pride of Sipalay, Negros Occidental was supposed to compete in the women’s 45-kilogram (kg.) division on Sunday or just a day after the inaugural rites at the 20,000-capacity arena located in the heart of the Central Java provincial capital.

A back-to-back silver medalist in the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games, Ms. Guion, however, declined what medal color she would deliver for the country since looming as her fierce rival in the weight class was hometown bet Ni Nengah Widiasih. Competing in the women’s 41-kg. class, Ms. Widiasih bagged a silver in last year’s Tokyo Paralympic Games.

This was set when the athlete placed eighth overall in the women’s 45-kg. category of the world para powerlifting championships last November in Tbilisi, Georgia.

National coach Rico Canlas said there are five women and three men in the national para powerlifting squad, among them, reigning women’s +86-kg. queen Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, in the stint bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Also in the group are veteran Marydol Pamatian, who will vie in the women’s 41-kg. class, Denesia Apote Esnara (50-kg.), Agustin Kitan and Romeo Tayawa, who will both compete in the men’s 54-kg. category, and Gregorio Damian Payat, Jr., who sees action in the men’s 59-kg. division.

“Everyone on our team wants to win, but I don’t want to make any medal forecast so as not to pressure our athletes,” said Mr. Canlas, who was hoping to surpass the one gold and one bronze medal won in the 2017 Malaysia ASEAN Para Games.

Popp double sends Germany into 2022 Euro women’s final

GERMANY’s Alexandra Popp celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates. — REUTERS

MILTON KEYNES, England — Prolific striker Alexandra Popp scored twice as Germany beat France 2-1 in their Euro 2022 semifinal on Wednesday to set up a clash with host England in Sunday’s final at Wembley.

The Germans, eight-time European champions, will take on an England team on a high after their 4-0 thrashing of Sweden in Tuesday’s other semi.

“We played an amazing game and threw everything in,” said Popp, who has scored six goals in five games at the tournament after a lengthy spell of injury troubles.

“We are incredibly happy; nobody expected us (to do it). We’re in the final at Wembley against England — it doesn’t get any better than that.”

“We earned our self-confidence in all the games. The team is just great; they have my back and are happy with me after my whole story of suffering,” she added.

Popp fired Germany ahead in the 40th minute, sneaking in from the left to meet a fine cross from Svenja Huth and beat Pauline Peyraud-Magnin with a crisp finish.

The lead lasted less than four minutes, however, as France leveled when Kadidiatou Diani unleashed a fierce drive on the turn which rattled off the post and flew in off the back of Germany keeper Merle Frohms.

France had the better chances after the break, putting intense pressure on the German defense, but they could not find a way through.

Diani set up Selma Bacha, whose goalbound shot was blocked by Kathrin Julia Hendrich and then Wendie Renard’s header at the back post was well saved by the alert Frohms.

The lively Diani then intercepted a poor back pass and burst forward, but Frohms kept out her low drive from a tight angle.

Popp won the contest with her sixth goal in five games in the tournament, powering a superb header home from another excellent Huth cross in the 76th minute.

France continued to push, but with increasing desperation — Bacha went close with a curling first-time effort and Clara Mateo saw an effort fly just over the bar.

But in the end, it was Popp who proved the difference and England will need to find a way to stop her if they are to win their first title against the country which has dominated European women’s football for so long.

The enterprising French team, who had impressed many during this tournament, was left to rue the chances they couldn’t turn into goals.

“I wasn’t surprised by Germany because we knew that they were a very big team offering a lot of intensity. They were efficient, unlike us. We will learn from it,” said Bacha.

“All that was missing was efficiency. We are not going to discard everything. We can be proud of our journey. No one thought we were going to make it to the semifinals. Next time, it will be the final. You really have to believe in it and never give up.” — Reuters

Cleveland Guardians overtake sloppy Boston Red Sox

JOSH Naylor hit a tie-breaking home run with one out in the ninth inning as the Cleveland Guardians capitalized on shoddy defense by the host Boston Red Sox and recorded a 7-6 victory on Wednesday night.

Naylor snapped a 6-6 tie when he hammered a 2-0 slider from Tanner Houck (5-4) over the Green Monster seats for his 14th homer. Naylor’s fifth homer in 18 games this month helped Cleveland win for the seventh time in 10 games.

Myles Straw hit a tying double in the eighth off Red Sox reliever John Schreiber (3-2) two batters after first baseman Franchy Cordero committed his third error of the game by making an errant throw on a grounder by rookie Nolan Jones. Cordero was charged with two errors in Cleveland’s three-run second inning when he bobbled Jones’ grounder and also made an errant toss.

Bobby Dalbec homered twice and drove in a season-high five runs for Boston, but the Red Sox dropped to 2-11 in their past 13 games.

Phillies 7, Braves 2: J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm each had two hits and two RBIs to help Philadelphia to a win against visiting Atlanta in the rubber contest of a three-game series.

Kyle Gibson (6-4) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings for the Phillies, who had lost four of five coming out of the All-Star break. He struck out four and walked two.

Braves starter Charlie Morton (5-5) allowed five runs (four earned) and six hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked two. Matt Olson homered and Eddie Rosario had two hits for Atlanta.

Tigers 4, Padres 3: Victor Reyes hit a two-run, walk-off double with two outs off closer Taylor Rogers to give host Detroit a win over San Diego, as the Tigers took two of three in the series.

Jeimer Candelario, who began the ninth-inning uprising with a double, had three hits and drove in two runs. Michael Fulmer (3-4) collected the victory with an inning of scoreless relief.

Padres starter Yu Darvish allowed two runs on six hits while striking out 11 in seven innings. San Diego’s Jurickson Profar had two hits and an RBI.

Angels 4, Royals 0: Janson Junk threw five-plus scoreless innings, Kurt Suzuki, Brandon Marsh and Phil Gosselin each had two hits and Los Angeles beat host Kansas City.

Junk, who was lifted after issuing a leadoff walk to begin the sixth inning, earned his first career major league win after going winless in four major league starts last season and one relief appearance this year. He struck out a career-best eight batters while allowing only one walk and four hits.

Royals starter Brad Keller (5-11) gave up three runs on six hits in six innings. Ryan O’Hearn collected three hits and Michael A. Taylor had two hits for Kansas City. — Reuters

Tatum on Durant

For marquee names always elbowing each other for room at the top, it’s hard to get worked up over the prospect of relinquishing the role of top dog for one of the most storied franchises in National Basketball Association history. In this regard, Jayson Tatum’s responses to queries on the possibility of all-world Kevin Durant joining the Celtics was to be expected. That he publicly showed he was lukewarm at best on the chance while attending the premiere of the documentary series NYC Point Gods — which, not coincidentally, his would-be teammate produced — shows where he stands.

To be sure, Tatum had reason to balk at the notion, and not simply because of ego. After all, the Celtics managed to finish runners-up in the immediate past season, as good an indication as any that they’re already built to contend even without Durant. Chemistry is an extremely elusive component of winning, and, if nothing else, they proved they have it. And, make no mistake; the Nets will be asking for the moon before letting the former Most Valuable Player awardee go, no matter how disgruntled he may be.

Which, in a nutshell, is why the decision isn’t as clear cut as it seems. The rule of thumb on deals is that the winner just so happens to be the one that landed the best player. And, yes, Durant will be the best player in any trade that involves him. Reportedly, the Celtics need to offer vital cogs Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, not to mention a plethora of first-round picks, just to be in the same zip code of “reasonable.” Even taking into consideration the sacrifice of depth for top-heavy arsenal, esprit de corps heads the list of question marks.

For the record, Tatum disclosed that “I love my team. I love the guys that we got.” Not that the Celtics have yet to see the obvious signals. They know what they’re risking, least of all the good relationships they have with their stars. Brown’s already seething; despite having proven his chops as the leading scorer for the green and white in the 2022 Finals, he’s still being dangled as bait. They can’t go wrong with Durant, of course. Whether they’re also doing right by their homegrown talents is another matter altogether.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Digital-first college launches learning hub in QC

To set the stage for the start of school year 2022–2023, Mapúa Malayan Digital College (MMDC), a digital-first college under Mapúa University and its subsidiary Malayan Colleges Laguna, opened its second learning hub in Ayala Malls Cloverleaf on July 28. 

Designed to be a “21st century digital learner working space,” the Quezon City hub follows its Bacolod City counterpart, which launched on July 1. 

“Our courses are fully online, but sometimes you have to sit down with people, look at them in the face, talk, and point at things. [For that] you need a place to go,” said MMDC’s chief learning officer Derrick Latreille at the July 28 event.

“That’s why this looks like a co-working space. It looks like you can run a business here,” he added. 

The learning hub features conference tables and chairs that can be rearranged, study pods, collaboration rooms with whiteboards, and bleachers.

Though classes start mid-August, the digital college will be accepting late enrollees up to the end of the same month. They offer two programs: Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. 

Dennis H. Tablante, MMDC executive director, assured that the digital program has been approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). 

“We follow their regulations and we can deliver in a manner that we think is best — using the projects, problems, and cases (PPC) model,” he said. 

The PPC model focuses on real-world applications and competency development rather than just knowledge acquisition. Instead of taking tests, students work together and apply the information they glean from synchronous and asynchronous classes.  

“Mapúa has a great heritage. How do we take that great brand and make it more affordable to more people and available all across the country? Online learning was our answer to that,” Mr. Latreille said. 

Through its two hubs, students learning primarily online still have the option of socializing and collaborating face-to-face (although it is not required).

For more information, visit www.mmdc.mcl.edu.ph

PLDT, Smart activate more ‘Libreng Tawag, Libreng WiFi’ sites in quake-hit areas

PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) have activated three more ‘Libreng Tawag (free calls) and Libreng WiFi (free WiFi) sites in northern Luzon following the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Abra on Wednesday.

“The three new sites expand the ‘Libreng Tawag’ stations that we had set up in the region on Wednesday evening. PLDT and Smart were the first telcos to offer free call services in quake-hit Vigan City, Ilocos Sur following the tremors. We later opened another Libreng Tawag site in Bangued, Abra before midnight,” said Cathy Yang, FVP & Group Head of Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart.

As of Thursday, PLDT and Smart have activated ‘Libreng Tawag, Libreng WiFi’ stations at the following locations:

Ilocos Sur
• Landmark Building, Jose Singson St., Barangay VIII, Poblacion, Vigan City
• Vigan Northern Alliance Trading, 3rd Floor UNP Town Center, Tamag, Vigan City
• Candon City PD Office, Corner Gaerlan and Abaya St., San Isidro, Candon

Abra
• Abra PD Office, Horizon St. Zone 7, Bangued

Benguet
 • Benguet Agri Pinoy Trading Center, Strawberry Fields, La Trinidad

Aside from providing communication as aid to affected residents, PLDT and Smart continue to work with local government units as they prepare to distribute relief assistance to severely impacted communities.

PLDT and Smart’s ‘Libreng Tawag, Libreng WiFi’ initiative and aid distribution underscore the PLDT Group’s commitment to creating a safe and smart Philippines by providing immediate response through network resilience, continuous availability of communication services, and relief assistance to communities affected by disasters, and aid in recovery.

The programs in helping communities become more resilient in times of calamity are in line with the commitment of PLDT and Smart to help the country attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #11 of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by significantly reducing the number of people affected by disasters.

 

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Russia tells NASA space station pullout less imminent than indicated earlier

International Space Station. NASACOMMONS/FLICKR 

WASHINGTON — Russian space officials have informed US counterparts that Moscow would like to keep flying its cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) until their own orbital outpost is built and operational, a senior NASA official told Reuters on Wednesday. 

Taken together with remarks from a senior Russian space official published on Wednesday, the latest indications are that Russia is still at least six years away from ending an orbital collaboration with the United States that dates back more than two decades. 

A schism in the ISS program seemed to be closer at hand on Tuesday, when Yuri Borisov, the newly appointed director-general of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, surprised NASA by announcing that Moscow intended to withdraw from the space station partnership “after 2024.” 

Kathy Lueders, NASA’s space operations chief, said in an interview that Russian officials later on Tuesday told the US space agency that Roscosmos wished to remain in the partnership as Russia works to get its planned orbital outpost, named ROSS, up and running. 

“We’re not getting any indication at any working level that anything’s changed,” Ms. Lueders told Reuters on Wednesday, adding that NASA’s relations with Roscosmos remain “business as usual.” 

The space station, a science laboratory spanning the size of a football field and orbiting some 400 kilometers above Earth, has been continuously occupied for more than two decades under a US-Russian-led partnership that also includes Canada, Japan, and 11 European countries. 

It offers one of the last vestiges of cooperation between the United States and Russia, though its fate has been called into question since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, straining bilateral relations on a variety of fronts as the Biden administration imposed economic sanctions on Moscow. 

The Ukraine conflict also sparked tensions between Roscosmos and the European Space Agency (ESA). 

A formal agreement to extend Russia’s ISS participation beyond 2024 has not yet been reached. NASA, Roscosmos, ESA and the station’s other partners plan to discuss the prospect of extending each other’s presence on the laboratory to 2030 during a periodic meeting on Friday of the board that oversees the station’s management, Ms. Lueders said. 

Roscosmos published on its website on Wednesday an interview with Vladimir Solovyov, the flight director for the space station’s Russian segment, who was quoted as saying Russia must remain on the station until ROSS is operating. 

Mr. Solovyov said he expected ROSS would be fully assembled in orbit sometime in 2028. 

“We, of course, need to continue operating the ISS until we create a more or less tangible backlog for ROSS,” Mr. Solovyov said. “We must take into account that if we stop manned flights for several years, then it will be very difficult to restore what has been achieved.” 

The American and Russian segments of the space station were deliberately built to be intertwined and technically interdependent, so that any abrupt withdrawal of Russian cooperation aboard the ISS could seriously disrupt a centerpiece of NASA’s human spaceflight program. — Joey Roulette/Reuters

Millions at risk as COVID-19 and Ukraine war threaten HIV/AIDS gains

UNSPLASH

NEW YORK/SAO PAULO/MELBOURNE — The fight against HIV and AIDS risks being derailed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and other crises, the United Nations (UN) warned on Wednesday, with progress in cutting case numbers being reversed in some countries and slowing overall.

An estimated 1.5 million people contracted HIV worldwide in 2021, said a Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) report, with the number of new cases dropping just 3.6% compared to the previous year — the slowest rate of decline since 2016.

Coronavirus shutdowns frustrated initiatives to fight the virus and other world events such as the war in Ukraine have diverted funds and attention elsewhere, it said.

“The global AIDS response is in severe danger,” said executive director Winnie Byanyima in a statement marking the launch of the Global AIDS Update 2022.

Annual new HIV transmissions have risen over several years in Eastern Europe and central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa, the report said.

The Philippines, Madagascar, Congo Republic, and South Sudan are among the countries which have seen the biggest increases in cases since 2015, it added.

“During the last two years, HIV services have been interrupted in many countries, resources have shrunk, and millions of lives are now at risk,” Matthew Kavanagh, deputy executive director of UNAIDS, told journalists.

The war in Ukraine and the worldwide cost-of-living crisis have hampered efforts to combat the virus, the organization warned.

An estimated 38.4 million people were living with HIV worldwide last year, UNAIDS said, roughly three quarters of whom are taking antiretroviral treatments that can make the virus a manageable condition and prevent further transmission.

However, the number of people accessing HIV treatment increased at the slowest rate in more than a decade, it said.

The organization estimates that an additional $29 billion is needed to successfully combat the HIV epidemic in low- and middle-income nations and to ultimately end the virus as a global public health threat.

“Many world leaders seem to have forgotten about HIV,” said Adeeba Kamarulzaman, president of the International AIDS Society, the world’s largest association of HIV/AIDS professionals.

“We risk veering off track in efforts to end the global HIV epidemic.”

BACKSLIDING PROGRESS

Some regions are backsliding, said UNAIDS, with cases rising in Asia and the Pacific where they had previously been falling.

In Brazil, official data shows about 770,000 people are living with diagnosed HIV, a rise of about 10% within three years in a nation previously heralded by activists and governments as a success story.

Maria Eduarda Aguiar da Silva, president of the HIV and AIDS rights nonprofit Grupo Pela Vidda, said widespread conservative attitudes played a role.

“In an ultra-conservative setting where you can’t talk about sexuality, it’s hard to talk about sexually transmitted infections,” she said.

After President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019, the federal government closed a government division that had focused specifically on HIV, folding it into a broader department.

Racial and economic inequities also color the Brazilian HIV epidemic, said poet Ramon Nunes Mello, who was diagnosed with the virus in 2012.

“People who die of AIDS come from color and lower social classes,” Mr. Mello said.

“They are Black people and the poorest, and they die because of lack of information and of access to medication. It’s surreal for Brazil to go back to that.”

In the Philippines, UNAIDS data showed new annual HIV cases rose to an estimated 21,000 last year, more than double the 2015 rate.

But the number of people accessing HIV testing dropped by 61% in a year as the pandemic took hold in 2020, government data showed.

Though the Philippines is broadly accepting of gay people, homophobia in some sectors of society hamper responses, said Nenita Laude-Ortega, country program manager at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation Philippines.

“This usually comes from the religious groups, and the Philippines is more than 90% Christian,” Ms. Laude-Ortega said.

“We have very, very low condom use, and actually it’s the church who are not in favor of condom use.” — Thomson Reuters Foundation

Microsoft says Austrian firm behind spyware targeting law firms, banks

REUTERS/KACPER PEMPEL/FILE PHOTO

LONDON — Security researchers at Microsoft have said an Austrian firm was behind a string of digital intrusions at banks, law firms and strategic consultancies in at least three countries.

The firm, DSIRF, developed spyware — malicious software designed to spy on or steal information from a target’s device — called “Subzero” which uses so-called Zero-day exploits to access confidential information such as passwords, or logon credentials, Microsoft said in a blog post on Wednesday.

“Observed victims to date include law firms, banks, and strategic consultancies in countries such as Austria, the United Kingdom, and Panama,” the post said, without identifying the victims.

Vienna-based DSIRF, or DSR Decision Supporting Information Research Forensic GmbH, did not respond to email and telephone requests for comment.

Zero-day exploits are serious software flaws of great value to both hackers and spies because they work even when software is up to date.

The term comes from the amount of warning users get to patch their machines protectively; a two-day flaw is less dangerous because it emerges two days after a patch is available.

Some cybersecurity firms develop such tools to deploy alongside routine “pentesting,” or penetration testing, to test a company’s digital defenses against malicious attacks.

“Microsoft’s interaction with a victim confirmed they had not consented to red teaming and malware deployment, and confirmed it was unauthorized activity,” Microsoft Security Unit general manager Cristin Goodwin, who authored the report, told Reuters.

According to a copy of an internal presentation published last year by German news website Netzpolitik, DSIRF advertises Subzero as a “next generation cyber warfare” tool which can take full control of a target’s PC, steal passwords, and reveal its location.

Another one of the slides in that presentation showed several uses for the spyware, including anti-terrorism and the targeting of human trafficking and child pornography rings.

Microsoft’s findings come as the United States and Europe mull tighter rules around vendors of spyware, a fast-growing and under-regulated global industry, and after the Pegasus spyware developed by Israel’s NSO was found to have been used by governments to spy on journalists and dissidents.

“This industry appears to be thriving,” Shane Huntley, Senior Director of the Threat Analysis Group at Alphabet, told a US House of Representatives committee on Wednesday. — James Pearson/Reuters

Residents camp out in fear of more quakes in northern Philippines

Abra Province/Facebook

Fearful residents in the Philippine province of Abra spent the night sleeping outdoors after a powerful earthquake struck the northern island of Luzon, killing four people and injuring more than 130.

Some people in the area said on Thursday they had been too scared to return to their homes, camping out instead with their families on sidewalks and in parks to ensure their safety.

The 7.1 magnitude quake rattled the northern Philippine island of Luzon on Wednesday morning, damaging homes and buildings, including heritage structures and centuries-old churches. Seismologists have since recorded close to 800 aftershocks.

Erlinda Bisares, a resident in Bangued town in Abra, which was just 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the epicenter, said she and her family did not want to risk going back home.

“We were so scared,” Ms. Bisares told CNN Philippines, recalling how the quake had shaken her home and furniture. “We didn’t mind our belongings, we just hurried outside. Life is more important.”

Mark Timbal, a spokesperson for the national disaster agency, told reporters the death toll from the quake had been revised down to four from five, but the number of injured had risen to more than 130.

The Philippines is prone to natural disasters and is located on the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a band of volcanoes and fault lines that arcs round the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Earthquakes are frequent and there are an average of 20 typhoons each year, some triggering deadly landslides.

Public Works Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan told DZBB radio clearing up operations were underway and his agency had started to remove debris from the main roads in Abra and in other districts affected by rockslides triggered by the quake.

Ricardo B. Jalad, administrator of the Office of the Civil Defense, told radio station DZRH some parts of Abra were still without power or water and experiencing communication outages.

The budget ministry said authorities were ready to release funds for disaster relief. — Reuters

Cost of living crisis? Consumers keep spending for now

PIXABAY

LONDON — Consumer-focused firms are seeing no shortage of demand despite the soaring cost-of-living, prompting several to upgrade sales forecasts for the current year, though questions remain about how long that will last.

While some consumers are shielding themselves from price hikes by trading down to own label products, enough are spending more for McDonald’s to risk lifting the price of a cheeseburger in Britain for the first time in 14 years on Wednesday.

In another example, US burrito chain Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. reported better-than-expected results on Tuesday and said it plans to raise menu prices again in August after a more than 4% increase in the second quarter.

“Companies will raise prices if and when they feel consumers are willing and able to pay them,” said Nuveen’s Chief Investment Strategist Brian Nick. “It’s become harder to do this in 2022 as wage growth slows and excess savings fall.”

The global economy is mired in a serious slowdown, with some key economies at high risk of recession over the coming year, according to Reuters polls of hundreds of economists worldwide.

“There is a real concern that demand may be weakening, which will make it hard to justify further price hikes,” said Mr. Nick.

Shops and supermarkets in Britain increased prices by 4.4% in the 12 months to July, the largest rise since these records began in 2005, reflecting a jump in food and transport costs, the British Retail Consortium said on Wednesday.

Consumer goods giants Reckitt Benckiser and Danone both lifted sales forecasts on Wednesday along with automaker Mercedes, healthcare firm GSK and sportswear firm Puma.

Reckitt, maker of Dettol and Lysol cleaning products, on Wednesday raised its full-year revenue forecast after steep price hikes helped it beat second-quarter sales expectations.

Danone lifted its annual revenue growth forecast after second-quarter like-for-like sales beat analysts’ estimates on strong demand for baby food and bottled water.

Like rival Unilever, Reckitt and Danone’s price rises have driven revenue. The biggest question for investors is how long that will continue.

“What we’ve seen is that the consumer has accepted these price increases, but inflation is not pulling back,” said Ashish Sinha, portfolio manager at Gabelli. “So as inflation increases, that raises questions on demand elasticity.”

Kraft Heinz Co., maker of Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Heinz Ketchup, said on Wednesday its price hikes are largely on hiatus after quarterly volumes dipped on supply chain and demand woes.

Chief Executive Officer Miguel Patricio said about 99% of the intended price increases for the year have been announced, with a majority of these implemented, adding that any further pricing the company takes will be “surgical.”

LUXURY GOODS IN VOGUE

Low-income households have been hit hard by inflation because a high proportion of that income is spent on essential items ranging from food to fuel and accommodation.

In contrast, middle- and high-income households were able to build up substantial savings during the pandemic as restrictions made everything from foreign holidays to eating out more difficult. While some of these savings have since been eroded by inflation, they have more flexibility to keep spending.

That has resulted in booming demand for luxury items such as sports cars and designer handbags.

LVMH, the world’s biggest luxury goods firm, on Monday reported better-than-expected second-quarter sales, with robust US growth and a recovery in Europe offsetting declining revenue in Asia.

“We’re growing double-digit with most of our brands so we cannot complain about European customers. On top of that, we’ve got significant touristic activities in Europe,” said LVMH financial chief Jean Jacques Guiony.

American tourists vacationing in London have been spending more because of the strong dollar, analysts say.

For now, the increased prosperity of affluent consumers is offsetting the hit to revenues from lower earners spending less.

“It’s one of those moments where investors are looking at these results in Europe and thinking … business has been resilient,” said Danni Hewson, financial analyst at AJ Bell. ($1 = 0.8293 pounds) — Richa Naidu and Sachin Ravikumar/Reuters

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