by Laurent Barthelemy WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter headed Saturday to India and the Philippines for talks on increasing regional defense cooperation, after calling off a planned trip to China amid tensions over Beijing’s expansionist ambitions in the South China Sea. Carter will fly out of Washington and travel to India and the Philippines for his Asian tour, followed by Middle East stops in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi […]
International
Belgium identifies ‘man in hat’ at Brussels airport bombing
by Lachlan Carmichael BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — Paris attacks suspect Mohamed Abrini was charged Saturday with “terrorist murders” and confessed he was the man in the hat seen with the suicide bombers at Brussels airport, Belgian prosecutors said. Another man was also charged with “terrorist murders” over the Brussels subway bombing as investigators linked more clearly than ever the jihadists involved in both France and Belgium’s worst ever terror outrages, claimed by the Islamic […]
22 soldiers wounded during clash with ASG after freeing Italian hostage
A firefight sparked between Philippine soldiers and Abu Sayyaf militants, a day after the release of a retired Italian priest in the southern Philippines. Regional military spokesman, Major Filemon Tan said, the Philippine soldiers were conducting security operations in Basilan, when they encountered about 120 Abu Sayyaf gunmen. 22 soldiers were wounded in the clash. Tan disclosed that the clash happened at around 7:55 am, Saturday, in Sitio Bayoko, Baranggay Baguindan, Tipo-Tipo. Philippine authorities found […]
Experts warn of potential for major activity at Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano
SAN NICOLAS DE LOS RANCHOS, STATE OF MEXICO, Mexico (Reuters) – Mexican authorities warned of potential for major activity at the Popocatepetl volcano near Mexico City on Wednesday (April 6) after observing an increased level of explosive activity in recent months. In the last two weeks alone, the Popocatepetl volcano, located some 50 miles (80 km) to the southeast of the capital, has exploded on several occasions resulting in the expulsion of gases and smoking, […]
Obama returns to law school to argue for his Supreme Court pick
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, United States (Reuters) – President Barack Obama returned on Thursday (April 7) to the University of Chicago Law School where he once taught to make the case for his U.S. Supreme Court nominee as Senate Republicans harden their opposition to confirming Merrick Garland to the post. Obama said the refusal of Senate Republicans to approve Garland risked destroying the “institutional integrity of the judicial branch.” “If you start getting into a situation in […]
Spring snow piles up in Michigan
MARQUETTE COUNTY, MICHIGAN, United States (Reuters) – Spring has officially begun, but it still felt like winter in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on Thursday (April 7) as residents dug out from under more than a foot of snow. Twelve and a half inches (.3 m) of snow piled up in Marquette County on Wednesday and Thursday, in an area where more than two feet have fallen since April began. The National Weather Service predicted more snow will […]
Tornado spotted in Florida; trees downed in Georgia after storms
PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA, United States (Reuters) – Strong thunderstorms moved through parts of Florida and Georgia late on Wednesday night (April 6) and into early Thursday morning (April 7). The National Weather Service said a tornado was confirmed in Pinellas County, in the western part of the Florida peninsula. Strong winds and rain caused damage in Hall County, Georgia, in the north central portion of the state, downing trees and power lines. County officials reported […]
Filipina businesswomen join “50 Most Powerful Women in Asia”
MANILA, Philippines – Joining the ranks of Forbes’ “50 Most Powerful Women in Asia” are two Filipina businesswomen- Teresita Sy-Coson and first-timer Robina Gokongwei-Pe. (Eagle News Service Described by Jay Paul Carlos, Video Editing by Dexter Magno, Uploaded by Lovely Ann Cruz)
Child escapes death after falling out of moving vehicle, being run over by car
Reuters – A young Chinese child has narrowly escaped death after falling out of the rear door of a moving minivan and being run over by a car. Surveillance video shows the rear door of a minivan slowly open and a child fall out of it onto the road as the vehicle pulled away from an intersection. Before the child could stand up, the car behind the minivan drove over the child and then stopped. […]
U.S. troops fire mobile artillery rockets in joint wargames with Philippines
(Reuters) – U.S. troops on Monday (April 4) fired mobile artillery rockets as part of a new training demonstration during annual joint military exercises with the Philippines. Video footage released by the U.S. and Philippine military shows American soldiers firing six reduced range practice rockets from two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) at a Philippine military camp north of Manila. HIMARS were used in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. military. The practice rockets have […]
New Vietnam Prime Minister sworn in
Hanoi, Vietnam (AFP)—Vietnam’s new prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was formally voted in and handed a five-year term by lawmakers Thursday to round off a leadership change among Communist top brass. Phuc was the only candidate nominated for the position by party officials earlier this year and won 90.26 percent of the votes in the rubber stamp parliament. “I will do my best to serve the country and people,” the 61-year-old, who was previously a deputy prime […]
IAEA and South Korean officials discuss nuclear issues
SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) – Officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and South Korea held an annual meeting in Seoul to boost cooperation on nuclear issues on Thursday (April 7). IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, Tero Varjoranta, and South Korean foreign ministry’s Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs, Choi Jong-moon, led the fourth South Korea-IAEA High-Level Consultation. The both sides discussed ways to cooperate their response […]
