International

DFA: Another Filipino drowns in New Zealand

(Eagle News)—Another Filipino drowned in New Zealand, the second such incident in days, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, Jan. 17. In a statement, the Philippine Embassy in Wellington said the victim, a 20-year-old, drowned in Whanganui River, 150 kilometers northwest of Wellington on Wednesday, Jan. 16. His body was recovered the day after. According to the DFA, last week, student Kent Espinosa, also drowned. In October, the DFA said another Filipino also drowned […]

Tunnel through an Australian mountain? No problem, says Elon Musk

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia could become a test ground for another of Elon Musk’s massive infrastructure projects after the maverick billionaire tweeted a “bargain” price to build a tunnel through a mountain to solve Sydney’s traffic woes. Musk in 2017 made a Twitter pitch — and followed through with the offer — to build what was the world’s biggest battery in an Australian state to solve its severe energy crisis. The entrepreneur behind electric […]

Volcano erupts on small Japan island: agency

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A volcano erupted on a small island in southern Japan on Thursday, the country’s meteorological agency said, spewing ash and smoke into the air over the sparsely-inhabited area. Public broadcaster NHK said there were no reports of injuries or damage yet from the eruption of the volcano on Kuchinoerabu island in the far south of Japan. The agency said the eruption occurred at 9:19am local time (0019GMT), shortly after it issued […]

17 Filipino seafarers rescued from burning ship off Nova Scotia now in Halifax

(Eagle News) — All 17 Filipino seafarers who were rescued from a burning ship off Nova Scotia have arrived safely in Halifax, the Philippine Embassy in Canada reported. In a Facebook post, Halifax vice consul Elizabeth Eustaquio-Domondon said the seafarers were “in high spirits” and were being assisted by their fleet manager in their return to the Philippines. She said members of the Filipino community have also met with the seafarers and provided them with food and […]

Brazilians divided over loosening of gun laws

by Paula RAMON Agence France Presse SAN PAULO, Brazil (AFP) — Silvana Tavares, a long-time sports shooter who is a vendor in a firearms store in Sao Paulo, says she has never brandished a weapon at anyone, and she does not want to kill anyone. But she is determined to keep a gun at home. “Nobody goes into a gun shop thinking they’re going to kill,” said Tavares, who is a supporter of President Jair […]

Frenchman killed friend, dumped body parts in drain: prosecutor

PARIS, France (AFP) — A Frenchman who murdered his friend and dumped body parts into a drain said Wednesday he was driven to kill after being refused money for drugs, a prosecutor said. The grisly crime took place in the central town of Issoire, where a plumber was called out last week to a hair salon after a customer reported that the toilets were blocked. On opening a trap door leading to a drain the […]

US shutdown after four weeks – food banks and job fairs

by Cyril JULIEN Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Four weeks into the US government shutdown, cash-strapped federal workers are tapping life savings, selling possessions and turning to soup kitchens to make ends meet — ramping up pressure Wednesday for leaders in Washington to strike a deal. Communities from Washington to Kodiak, Alaska are feeling increasing pain, with the cutoff of paychecks to families snowballing to hit stores and businesses dependent on their […]

US in criminal probe of China’s Huawei: report

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US authorities are in “advanced” stages of a criminal probe that could result in an indictment of Chinese technology giant Huawei, a published report said Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources, said the Justice Department is looking into allegations of theft of trade secrets from Huawei’s US business partners, including a T-Mobile robotic device used to test smartphones. The Justice Department declined to comment on the report. Huawei […]

UK PM May survives confidence vote after Brexit humiliation

by Dmitry ZAKS Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday narrowly survived a no-confidence vote sparked by the crushing defeat of her Brexit deal just weeks before the UK leaves the European Union. A stunning 24-hour span saw May on Tuesday dealt the heaviest drubbing by parliament in modern British political history — 432 votes to 202 — over the divorce terms she reached with Brussels. She […]

Kenya police scour rubble as hotel attack toll jumps to 21

by François AUSSEILL and Fran BLANDY Agence France Presse NAIROBI, Kenya (AFP) — Kenyan police scoured the rubble of a Nairobi hotel complex for more victims Wednesday as the death toll from a jihadist attack jumped to 21 and mourners began to bury the dead. President Uhuru Kenyatta had earlier announced the end of a 20-hour operation at the DusitD2 complex which saw hundreds of people rescued and all five jihadists “eliminated”. The bloody assault […]

Deadly IS-claimed suicide attack hits US forces in north Syria

by Delil Souleiman with Tony Gamal-Gabriel in Beirut Agence France Presse QAMISHLI, Syria (AFP) — A suicide attack killed four US personnel in northern Syria Wednesday, costing Washington its worst combat losses in the war-torn country since 2014 as it prepares to withdraw. The bombing, claimed by the Islamic State group, comes after US President Donald Trump’s shock announcement last month that he was ordering a full troop withdrawal from Syria because the jihadists had […]

Japan sees record 31 million tourists in 2018

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan welcomed a record 31 million foreign visitors in 2018, official data showed Wednesday, as the country gears up to host the Rugby World Cup this year and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The world’s third largest economy, also known for its ancient temples and vibrant pop culture, welcomed 31.2 million visitors in 2018, up 8.7 percent from the previous year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation. Fellow Asian countries dominated […]