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The Philippines Department of Labour and Employment (Dole) yesterday said that it would extend all possible assistance to illegally staying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who take advantage of an amnesty programme set up by the UAE government.

After the Gujarat earthquake, India will soon have its fast response teams equipped with sniffer dogs and sensor teams as well as earthmovers and gas cutters.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has appointed Ali bin Nasir bin Ali Al Buali as the Sultanate's first attorney general and Mohammed bin Ali bin Khalfan Al Hadidi as the deputy attorney general.

The lawyer husband of President Gloria Arroyo has said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with legal problems in the Gulf and Hong Kong can look forward to getting out of jail, coming home to the Philippines and being re-united with their families.

More than 40 per cent of the Philippines 76.5 million inhabitants are living below the poverty line, a report by the Commission on Population said yesterday. Tomas Osias, executive directors of the commission also warned that country's rapid population growth could also stifle whatever economic gains the country would be able to achieve in the coming years.

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was honoured yesterday by officials of Singapore's Botanic Gardens by naming a locally-bred orchid variety after the Philippines leader, reports reaching Manila said.

Six companies of Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (Cafgus) will be deployed to augment the military's eight battalions scouring the 1,300-km island province of Basilan for the Abu Sayyaf, according to a military spokesman.

Six people, including four Omani passengers - two men and two women - were killed and another 52 injured in a road accident involving two passenger buses near Salalah, the venue of the Khareef Festival which is growing in popularity every year.

Partial results of the plebiscite on the proposed expansion of the Muslim self-rule region in southern Philippines point to an overwhelming victory of the "no" vote in areas being sought to be included in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents have discovered four banks accounts in California under the name of Philippine Senator Panfilo Lacson, belying the official's claim that he does not have more than one such financial record in the United States, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported yesterday, citing "confidential letters" from the FBI.

Of the 25 cities and provinces where a plebiscite was held recently, only the Basilan province and Marawi City have agreed to join the expanded Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said after a five-day vote count.

Bahrain Telecommunications Company, Batelco, announced further reductions in IDD tariffs, averaging 14 per cent, with effect from yesterday. Direct dial calls to GCC , other Arab countries and the subcontinent are among those that will be cheaper.