UJONG KAREUNG Beach, Aceh Province, Indonesia (Reuters) — Authorities will perform autopsies on four beached whales found in Aceh province to investigate their cause of death, the investigation team said on Tuesday (November 14). Indonesian volunteers managed to save six whales beached on the northern tip of Sumatra but four died. Rescuers worked late into Monday (November 13) night to free six of 10 massive sperm animals using ropes and patrol boats and turn them back […]
Life
Art project transforms historic Indian fishing dock
MUMBAI, India (AFP) — Indian fishermen unload their morning catch as sari-clad women carrying buckets on their heads walk past street art that has transformed one of Mumbai’s oldest fishing docks into an exhibition space. Thirty artists from around the world have given the bustling 142-year-old Sassoon Dock, home to Mumbai’s traditional Koli fishing community, a colourful makeover as part of the St+art Urban Art Festival. “The artworks range from mixed media to graffiti to street-art styles […]
High blood pressure is redefined as 130, not 140: US guidelines
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — High blood pressure was redefined Monday by the American Heart Association, which said the disease should be treated sooner, when it reaches 130/80, not the previous limit of 140/90. “High blood pressure is now defined as readings of 130 mm Hg and higher for the systolic blood pressure measurement, or readings of 80 and higher for the diastolic measurement,” said the guidelines. Doctors now recognize that complications “can occur […]
Filipino heritage and hospitality celebrated, highlighted during ASEAN gala dinner
QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — Filipino cuisine and hospitality at their best were the highlights of the ASEAN gala dinner held in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the regional bloc. During the event, world leaders wore specially-crafted Barong Tagalog made by Filipino designers. The world leaders and their spouses also figured in the traditional family photos wearing the Barong Tagalogs and the Filipiniana gowns. Filipino talents also entertained the various world leaders. https://youtu.be/zkw84ByoKps
UN to host first talks on use of ‘killer robots’
by Ben Simon Agence France-Presse GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The United Nations is set to host the first-ever talks on the use of autonomous weapons, but those hoping for a ban on the machines dubbed killer robots will be disappointed, the ambassador leading the discussions said Friday. More than 100 artificial intelligence entrepreneurs led by Tesla’s Elon Musk in August urged the UN to enforce a global ban on fully-automated weapons, echoing calls from activists […]
‘Bots battle for the ball, and the globe, in Robot Olympiad
by Marc Burleigh Agence France Presse SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AFP) — The World Robotics Olympiad, being held in Costa Rica this weekend, shows human athletes still have little to worry about: sweat and glory do not compute well when relegated to faceless automatons. But the same may not be true for workers, especially those in menial or transport activities where robots are steadily taking over. Think factory assemblers and sorters, or even self-driving cars. […]
Pollution spikes in Delhi amid warnings no relief in sight
NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Air pollution in New Delhi worsened again Sunday and officials warned of little relief in sight from the smog, which has even caused one airline to cancel flights to the world’s most polluted capital. The US embassy website Sunday showed levels of the smallest and most harmful airborne pollutants reached 676, about 27 times the World Health Organization’s safe maximum, after falling slightly late last week. Delhi authorities have halted […]
Rare Bornean clouded leopards caught on camera in Malaysian reserve
SABAH STATE, Malaysia (Reuters) — A Bornean clouded leopard and her two cubs were captured on camera strolling through a Malaysian forest reserve last week, a rare daytime sighting of the elusive animals in the wild. Found only on the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra, the big cat species is known to zoologists as Neofelis diardi, with just 700 estimated to live in a habitat shrunk by poaching and deforestation. The footage filmed […]
Orbital ATK launches eighth cargo mission to space
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — An unmanned cargo ship packed with 7,400 pounds (3,350 kilograms) of food and supplies for the astronauts living at the International Space Station blasted off Sunday from Wallops Island, Virginia. Orbital ATK’s barrel-shaped Cygnus cargo ship launched atop an Antares rocket at 7:19 am (1219 GMT), a day after a last-second delay due to an unexpected aircraft in the area. “Five, four, three, two, one and we have ignition,” said […]
Massive data breach has cost Equifax nearly $90 million
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — A massive security breach that hit Equifax has cost the US credit bureau nearly $90 million so far, a figure that is set to rise further, its chief financial officer said on Thursday. The company, which gathers data on consumers to help lenders determine borrowers’ creditworthiness, revealed in September that hackers had stolen the personal details, including names, dates of birth and social security numbers, of nearly 146 million people. In […]
Nature’s nastiest beasts on show in London
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — From a hairy-legged Goliath spider to a 2.5-foot (0.7-meter) Komodo dragon, a fear-inducing exhibition opens Friday at London’s Natural History Museum showcasing the world’s most venomous creatures. More than 200,000 venomous species live on land, in the air or in the sea — including the huge living spider that welcomes visitors to the museum from inside its tank. “It’s not dangerous, it’s one of the biggest misconceptions. The little spider […]
Huge solar plant aims for brighter Brazil energy production
PIRAPORA, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil has lagged far behind in the shift to solar power, but the biggest facility on the continent now being built in the south-east aims to give the country its place in the sun. The plant in Pirapora, in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais, has 1.2 million solar panels, covering the equivalent of more than 1,200 soccer fields. It first began producing power in September, with the second of three phases […]





