Latest news with #Varela
Business Recorder
21-07-2025
- Business Recorder
Nine shot dead at pool bar in Ecuador tourist city
GENERAL VILLAMIL (Ecuador): At least nine people were shot dead Saturday while playing pool in a tourist city in southwestern Ecuador, the country's prosecutor's office said. A group of armed men opened fire on several people at a bar in a working-class neighborhood of General Villamil Playas, a coastal city in the southern Guayas province and destination for local tourists. The Ecuadorian prosecutor's office said on X that 'armed individuals entered the establishment and shot at those present.' Viral images on social media showed at least nine bloodied bodies lying on the floor around several pool tables. Local media reports said the attackers were armed with automatic rifles. At the bar where the massacre occurred, relatives held two coffins Saturday night. Bullet holes were visible on the pool tables, according to images captured by an AFP reporter. Police Colonel Jhanon Varela told media that two people were injured in the attack and treated at a local hospital. Authorities have only been able to identify one body at the scene. 'Unfortunately, when the police arrive, many of those affected by this event are removed from the scene by residents and family members,' Varela said.
GMA Network
15-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
PH needs to grow 7% yearly to hit high-income status by 2050 —World Bank
The Philippines is seen to join the ranks of high-income countries in the next 25 years provided it sustains an economic growth rate of about 7% yearly, backed by reforms that would increase investments and job generation, according to the World Bank. On Tuesday, the Washington-based multilateral lender released its Philippines Growth and Jobs Report, which detailed its observations on the country's employment and economic developments in the past 15 years or since 2010. At an event in Makati City, World Bank lead Gonzalo Varela said that the Philippines has doubled its gross domestic product (GDP), accelerating at an average of 5.3% from 2010 to 2023. The report, however, said the country's ambition of a poverty-free society by 2040 would require an annual growth rate of 7% to 10% 'sustained over decades, on account of better integration into the global marketplace and faster productivity growth.' Varela said that 'without decisive reforms, the Philippines risks stagnating in a cycle of slow expansion and limited job quality.' The World Bank economist, citing the report, said the country needs to implement 12 priority reforms grouped into three pillars: Foundational investments in infrastructure and human capital Sustain public investment with a focus on connectivity infrastructure Support private climate adaptation by removing bottlenecks and prioritizing resilience Boost human capital by fast-tracking implementation of Enterprise Based Education and Training Act, and scaling up STEM and digital skills to better address AI challenge Better regulations and governance Ensure regulations catch up with infrastructure progress to maximize investment impact Remove de facto barriers to market entry to make openness reforms work Facilitate land consolidation to enable productivity-enhancing reallocation in agriculture Adopt a proportional contribution system for part-time work to boost female labor force participation and correct talent misallocation Negotiate and implement deep trade agreements that drive domestic reform and global integration Implement competition-enhancing reforms in energy, logistics, and telecoms to cut costs for tradable sectors Strengthen local service delivery by building LGU capacity and aligning incentives Private capital mobilization Introduce supplier development programs to link SMEs with multinational corporations and large firms and close the productivity spillover gap Focus innovation support where conditions are ripe, consolidate programs for scale, and create room for deeper venture capital markets Varela said that if the set of recommended reforms were fully implemented, it could kick the country's GDP up by 1.4 percentage points or could increase the annual growth rate to 6.8%, create 5.1 million additional jobs, and boost wages by 12.9% by 2040. If the GDP growth rate of 6.8% is sustained until 2050, the World Bank economist said the Philippines economy could be brought 'to the verge of high-income threshold.' 'Within 25 years you are close to that threshold of high-income,' he said. At its current classification of countries by income, the World Bank set a threshold of $13,935 gross national income (GNI) per capita and above for a country to be classified as high-income. For fiscal year 2026, the Philippines remained a lower middle-income country with a GNI per capita of $4,470, just $26 shy of hitting its ambition of elevating to upper-middle income status, which was set at a range of $4,496 to $13,935 GNI per capita. GNI per capita measures the country's total income divided by its population. 'The Philippines has demonstrated that investment-led growth can be inclusive. However, to secure a prosperous, job-rich future, the country must now double down on reforms that unlock productivity, empower regions, and connect to global markets. The next leap is within reach,' said Varela. The World Bank economist emphasized that the Philippines needs to reduce the number of days before a foreign firm can set up shop in the country. 'It takes 106 days to register a foreign firm in the Philippines. It takes 15 days in Singapore. If you don't reduce that, if you don't reduce the number of days it takes, the processes, the complexity of the processes to register firms, you are erecting unnecessary entry barriers. Making investment more costly,' he said. 'These are the efforts that are much less costly than infrastructure investment. But at the same time, from a political economy point of view, they may be more difficult to achieve,' he added. The World Bank report also highlighted that technology adoption among firms is critical for productivity, innovation, growth, and quality job creation. 'Technology adoption is no longer optional,' said Jaime Frias, World Bank senior economist. 'It is essential for firms to grow, compete, and create better jobs. The Philippines must invest in digital skills and foster an innovation ecosystem that empowers businesses to harness the full potential of emerging technologies.'' —VBL, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Barcelona deal for teenage attacking prodigy very close to being finalised
Barcelona deal for teenage attacking prodigy very close to being finalised – report According to a fresh update from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona's deal for Portuguese forward Cardoso Varela is all but finalised. In fact, the 16-year-old is poised to become the next addition to Barça's evolving project, although the path to his signing has been far from smooth. Advertisement The club's sporting director, Deco, held decisive talks with Varela's representatives yesterday, signalling that the transfer is now in its final stages. Barcelona have long admired the talented left winger and have been monitoring his development closely. The original intention was to integrate him into the reserve team, but with Barça Atletic suffering relegation to the Second Division, the club is now considering keeping the player on loan at Dinamo Zagreb for another year. Details of the deal The financial structure of the deal appears to be relatively straightforward. Barcelona are expected to pay a fixed sum of €5 million for Varela, with a potential €20 million in performance-related add-ons. Advertisement These variables are tied to his development and eventual impact within the senior squad. Barcelona are close to sign Cardoso Varela. (Photo by) However, the operation has triggered discontent at FC Porto, where Varela began his football journey before moving abroad. Porto have raised objections to the deal, asserting that they still hold some claim to the player's rights. In response, they have sent formal communication to both Barcelona and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) seeking clarity on the nature of the transfer. Relationship with FC Porto The situation is particularly sensitive as Porto view Barça as a 'sister club' with whom they have shared a historically amicable relationship. Advertisement Although no formal breakdown in diplomatic ties has occurred, sources in Portugal suggest that Porto are frustrated by the lack of involvement or compensation in the deal. The matter remains under FIFA review, with Porto arguing that Varela's early exit from their academy should still entitle them to some consideration. In contrast, Dinamo Zagreb are reportedly already celebrating the move as a done deal. Local reports in Croatia suggest that the club has agreed on the financial package with Barcelona and are confident that the transfer will go through without further complications.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
3 Genius Ways Professionals Clean Behind Appliances—Without Moving Them At All
Unscrewing the kickplate gives you access to clean behind appliances without having to move them. A vacuum crevice tool or tube brush helps reach and clear dust from tight, tricky spaces. Wrapping a damp microfiber cloth around a stick is a simple, effective way to trap dust in hard-to-reach one thing to clean something out in the open, like your floors or countertops—while it may not be fun, it's relatively simple. Trying to clean behind heavy, cumbersome appliances is a different story. 'Though it's certainly a challenge, it needs to be done sooner or later because the vents can get clogged with hair, dust, and grease,' explains Alex Varela, general manager of Texas-based house cleaning service Dallas Maids. If you're hesitant to move your appliances, you're not alone—professional cleaners feel the same way. 'I'm not about to mess with electrical cords, gas lines, or scratch up the floor just to catch a dust bunny,' says Rhonda Wilson, lead quality cleaner at FreshSpace Cleaning in Louisville, Kentucky. 'If I can do 80-90% of the job safely and efficiently without moving it, that's a win in my book.' There are a few tools you can use, but before you do anything else, the first step is to unscrew the kickplate at the bottom of each appliance. This is going to give you the access you need without actually moving anything. After you can use one of three things, depending on what you have on hand and what has to get done: If you have to clean between coils or inside drains, a tube brush is Varela's recommendation. 'This works by getting between small spaces and pushing all the dirt out when you pull the brush out,' he says. They do this with polyester bristles that are flexible enough to fit into small spaces and tight corners that would otherwise be unreachable. When you're done, you can run it through the dishwasher so you can hygienically use it later on baby bottles, drains, travel mugs, and nearly anything else. Hidden dust can be stubborn, but it has nothing on a vacuum's crevice attachment. Long and narrow, they're specifically designed to fit in those pesky hard-to-reach areas. 'The good thing about vacuum cleaners is that they're electric, so they do all the work for you, which is helpful when you're already trying to reach behind appliances,' Varela explains. The crevice attachment's usefulness isn't limited to just appliances. You can also snap it onto clean up your car's upholstery, the sneaky space between a cabinet and the wall, and window tracks. Though Wilson prefers her vacuum's crevice attachment, she considers attaching a microfiber cloth onto a stick (a mop handle, yardstick, or rod are all fair game) to be a solid hack. If you're still building up your cleaning arsenal or just want to keep your supplies simple, it comes in handy. She recommends that you 'lightly dampen it with an all-purpose cleaning spray to make sure you get all the dust.' The slight moisture basically acts like a magnet, keeping the dust stuck to the cloth with every pass. Plus, it gets the area a little extra cleaner than it would be otherwise. Read the original article on Southern Living
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
📹 Flamengo steamrolling Botafogo-PB in the Brazil Cup 🇧🇷
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here. There were plenty of goals already in the first half of Flamengo vs Botafogo da Paraíba this Wednesday (21). Danilo, Pedro, and Varela built a great advantage in just a few minutes. And Henrique Dourado pulled one back, ensuring the traditional "Law of the ex". The second half came and Cebolinha scored another one. Fla is winning 4 x 1 in the return leg of the third phase of the Copa do Brasil. And securing a 5 x 1 on blinked... Filipe Luís made several changes. Which didn't prevent Flamengo from being competent right from the start (4'). É GOOOOOOL DO MENGíO! Danilo foi IMMMMMPIEDOSO e abriu o placar no Maracanã!🔥 😱 #Flamengo #BotafogoPB #CopadoBrasil #CopadoBrasilnoPrimeVideo #EsportesÉNoAmazonPrime — Prime Video Sport Brasil (@pvsportbr) May 22, 2025 The second was by Pedro completing a good play on the left (6'). MAIS UM DA ODETE ROITMAN!! 🚨 🤯 #Flamengo #Pedro #CopadoBrasil #CopadoBrasilnoPrimeVideo #EsportesÉNoAmazonPrime — Prime Video Sport Brasil (@pvsportbr) May 22, 2025 Ayrton Lucas appeared well once again. And it was up to Varela to take advantage (21'). VOCÊ PISCOU E O FLAMENGO MARCOU O TERCEIRO! 😅🔥 #FLAxBOT #Flamengo #CopadoBrasil #CopadoBrasilnoPrimeVideo #EsportesÉNoAmazonPrime — Prime Video Sport Brasil (@pvsportbr) May 22, 2025 Belo's and the Harvester's goal came after a mistake by the red-black defense. Which the striker took advantage of after getting past Matheus Cunha (36'). O CEIFADOR MARCA O PRIMEIRO DO BELO! 💥 😵 #FLAxBOT #Dourado #CopadoBrasil #CopadoBrasilnoPrimeVideo #EsportesÉNoAmazonPrime — Prime Video Sport Brasil (@pvsportbr) May 22, 2025 Cebolinha scored Fla's fourth right after the break following a pass from Varela (49'). Photo: Reproduction/Flamengo
