Jollibee Temporarily Closes 72 Outlets in PH

Jollibee Foods Corp., the country’s largest fast food company, said that 72 stores across its brands in Metro Manila and nearby cities have been temporarily closed over the lack of popular menu items at its outlets, reports Inquirer.net. Jollibee apologized as it sought to allay angry customers and calm worried investors.

Only 13 of 900 OFWs Have Evacuated from Violent Iraq

Only 13 of the 900 Filipino workers in Iraq have been repatriated despite the ongoing unrest and no OFWs have evacuated since, reports Inquirer.net, as US President Barack Obama authorized “targeted air strikes” against the strife-torn country.

Italy-Based Filipina Flutist at CCP Concert Series

Milan-based young Filipino flutist Sarah Mae Gabuyo will be the second featured artist of “The CCP Special Concert Series” on Friday, August 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater), reports Inquirer.net. Arriving in Italy when she was 10,  Gabuyo entered the Accademia Internazionale della Musica where the prestigious flute soloist Raffaele Trevisani took her in his class and taught her the Sir James Galway method of flute playing.

Thousands of OFWs Refuse to Leave Violent Libya

So far, only 1,700 of about 13,000 Filipinos have signed on to leave Libya despite frantic Philippine government efforts to evacuate them, reports Inquirer.net. It's because they’re afraid of losing their jobs in the conflict-torn country, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said.

Filipino Seafarers, Others Stranded Due to Shipowner's Debts

A Greek-owned cargo ship has been anchored in the Delaware River for nearly 16 weeks, with 20 crew on board, including Filipinos, caught in a quagmire between U.S. Coast Guard demands for operational repairs, and an owner who has not paid bills incurred since April, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Fil-Am Siblings Among Boston Ballet's Principal Dancers

Jeffrey and Lia Cirio (Source: bostonballet.org)

Two of the Boston Ballet's principal dancers are Filipino American siblings Lia and Jeffrey Cirio, report The FilAm.net. The Cirio siblings are such outstanding dancers they have been featured in Boston’s leading publications and dance magazines.

PH Freelancers Dominate World Marketplace

Elance-oDesk boasts of more than 8 million freelancers spread across 180 countries, one eighth of whom — a full 1 million people — hail from the Philippines. These freelancers perform work in a wide range of fields, from design and programming to administration and marketing, reports Mashable.com. From January 2010 to April 2014, the country’s freelancers have earned more than $207 million (9 billion PhP).

Libya Fears Health Care Collapse If Filipino, Indian Staffers Flee

Libya has warned of a "total collapse" of its health care system as the chaos plaguing the country threatens to send into flight many of the Filipino and Indian staff on whom its hospitals depend, reports ABS-CBN News.