Last week started with uncertainty over the fate of US automakers which also hurt dollar sentiment as the White House kept mum after saying it was considering tapping a $700 billion (Dh2,569 billion) financial industry bailout fund to help them.

Of the 121 Filipinos living in conflict-stricken Gaza Strip, 70 have agreed to be evacuated and repat-riated, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

MANILA, Philippines -- As the number of Filipinos who agreed to leave Gaza continued to go down from 70 to 66 to 13, and as of last briefing to six, most of those who have decided to stay in the war-torn strip, have done so because of love and family.